Goblin Mage
by RebeccaRoy
Summary: Mostly canon through the end of GoF and some canon through OotP. At the end of Harry's fifth year he finds out the power he knows not is with the Goblins! No Harry as Horcrux but there will be some clueless Dumbledore.
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer:_

_I do not own the characters of Harry Potter, these belong to that wonderful author JK Rowling and the various publishing companies used to publish her works. I am however borrowing them, no not to make money but for fun and fun only. _

_Summary: Mostly canon through the end of GoF and some canon through OotP. At the end of Harry's fifth year he finds out the power he knows not is with the Goblins! No Harry as Horcrux but there will be some clueless Dumbledore._

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Prologue:

The small group huddled together as if that would keep them safe from whatever was the cave before them. They were all clad the same in long loose robes that swept the ground, long full cloaks, deep hoods and silver-white masks that covered their faces. These uniforms were designed as loose so they were easy to pull on and would help disguise the shapes of those in the robes. The hoods hid further features such as hair and the full masks made it impossible for any facial features to be seen. All had gloves too and all had wands out waiting for someone. These were death eaters and they were not very nice people, no not at all and one did not wish to meet any of them anywhere even a well lit place with lots of people.

Yet they were not as scary as the man who stood before them, he was not particularly tall but evil and power radiated off him. He was clad much the same as his death eaters but he wore no mask and had a soft woolen skull cap on his head that covered all his head but for his ears and face. His face was ugly, he had no nose only slits for nostrils, a thin nearly lipless mouth and red eyes with slits for pupils and he was as white as chalk. He turned to where two of his death eaters were dragging forward a completely naked man bound with chains his thin body bruised and his back covered in welts and cuts from a whip. He had long sallow black hair, large black eyes and a hooked nose and he was more pale than normal for him.

"Ah Severus so glad you could join us." The snake faced man, who was of course Voldemort said.

"Master please I am loyal!" Severus Snape begged, "I would not betray you!"

"How dare you lie to me!" Voldemort said.

"I swear I am not lying!" Severus said, he was of course right, as a Slytherin he had found a convenient loop hole in the pledge he had made and of course even as a spy he was telling the truth. "Please master let me prove my worth to you!"

"Throw him in." Voldemort said, "he will make great dragon food."

Severus struggled but it was no use, he was drug to the mouth of the cave and the chains were removed. He tried to turn and beg for mercy but he was kicked into the cave. There was a roar and a blood curling scream of pain then silence accept for a very loud burp. Voldemort turned to his followers and went on and on about how it was not wise to betray him and he was sure he had made his point. He was sure to make an impact on his followers for this but not the right one. He Apparated away and with a last look at the came his followers did the same.

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Griphook was having a marvelous day, everything really was working out just as it should. Who knew that prophecies really did come true? As a Goblin he was a smart male, crafty and well educated like all his people he did not hold to such silly things like prophecies or soothsaying or the like such as what the silly humans did. Griphook was average in height for his race standing around three feet six inches tall, he was lean but built strong like all his race and he was clad in the Gringotts uniform, a tailcoat, waistcoat and breeches of dark brown trimmed in gold with gold stockings and brown boots he had a crisp white linen shirt with a gold cravat. As he was an important Goblin he had a large pocket watch in a pocket of his waistcoat and his long claw-like nails were very clean showing he was not of the very important mining caste but of the even more important banking caste.

Griphook was fairly skipping as he made his way to the rooms where the one who now was under his care and human though this one was he was so very important. Why he was connected to the one of the prophecy and as stated in the past by a Centaur he would be betrayed thrice before he was saved from the grasp of death. He was going to end up with great honor, not to mention great wealth because of this, his mate and children would end up held in highest esteem as well. He came on the rooms where the human was and did his best not to show what he thought of human ways of living. Really how could one not sleep on a shelf with nice soft moss stuffed in a sack with a warm fire and one's family? Why did humans need things like beds and such was beyond him.

"Madam I am glad you came, how is potions master Snape?" Griphook asked the healer, healers, even human ones did get some grudging respect from Goblins, they had never attacked healers or children or even females in the last war unlike the wizards who attacked them, he looked at the man sprawled on the bed naked, "eh not much to him is there?"

"He is very brave for what he did, he has two broken legs from a fall along with a broken arm, cracked ribs not to mention what was done to his back."

"They were not dishonorable to him where they?" Griphook asked knowing the shocking and very human habit of being perverts the lot of them!

"No, they did not goblin, now if you do not mind I have a brat to kill!" Severus snarled trying to get up.

"You stay down Severus Snape or I will stupefy you!" Madam Pomfrey snapped at him.

"Cover me up and I will think about it!" Severus snapped back, "you take too many liberties with me woman!"

Griphook gave a large sharp-toothed grin and left the room, it was true, so sometimes seers did get things right and they had this time! He had so much work to do and he made his way to his cozy office with its natural stone walls with niches carved out and lined with paper for his books, his nice metal desk and roaring fire in the stone fireplace. He hummed a Goblin tune as he wrote his letter and whistled for his owl, he tied the letter to her leg and she flew off out to deliver the letter. Oh how fun things were about to get!

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_Just a taste of a fun little story I am going to put up here._


	2. Chapter 1: I’m a What?

Chapter One: I'm a What?

Harry Potter was considered many things, a wizard, a student of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the boy-who-lived, this last due to the fact he survived a killing curse from Voldemort (thanks to his mother) and a seeker for the Gryffindor team. He was average height for his age he had grown to stand just over five feet six and had a good chance of growing a few more. He was a well built youth, slender as only a youth really could be with a boyish face that, with time would become a noble and strong face, he had grown out his hair starting in fourth year and now it hung in long waves past his shoulders, or would have if he did not keep it tied back in a braid. He was lightly tanned and had bright green eyes behind small round glasses and he was clad in jeans and a tee shirt.

Right now he was waiting for his godfather to come into the library, he was so sure he would that he had his wand out and had the Weasley twins, identical down to the same flaming red hair, stocky build, blue eyes and freckles as back up. Or as witnesses to his awesomeness as he stated, he was sprawled over a green wing backed armchair with a book on Runes in his lap. He loved to read and had since he was a child and found refuge in first the school library then the town library in the summers. Now he was learning about Runes and just might, if he kept at his studying get at least an OWL in it. He looked up as an owl flew through the window and landed on top of the chair leg out with letter on it.

"Thank you." Harry said to the owl taking the letter reading it then grinning before he penned a reply. "Brilliant!"

"What is Harry?" Fred asked.

"Was that a letter from our dear potions master?" George asked.

"He needs to cheer up." Fred said.

"Too bad we cannot do so." George sighed.

"No the Goblins wish to meet with me, and it's about time." Harry said then at an outraged scream he smirked, "it seems gentlemen I win."

There was another scream and the sound of feet storming down the stairs to the main level of the library. To more shouts followed before Sirius came into the room with bright pink hair his robes a nice neon green. Harry looked up, managed to school his features to a look of shock before he grinned and started to laugh. Remus came in after him his hair a nice Weasley red his new robes a nice bright purple. Fred and George looked at Harry knowing he had outdone them fully. Harry just grinned at the two men, summoned a bottle of Coke ™ (Harry and his friends were being tutored by Remus so the underage restrictions were lifted, even if they had not been he would have used magic), saluted them and took a long drag. Only to spit it out as this bottle clearly had been spiked with vinegar, he glared at the two men.

"You deserved that Harry." Sirius said, "this is not funny!"

"It was worth it to get you both back." Harry said.

"He has a point." Remus said.

"Oh I have to go see the goblins." Harry said smiling, "Padfoot you have to come as well you are my guardian and all."

"When?"

"Few hours, around one." Harry replied.

"Good, should be fun, you two will behave, I can trust you in public?" Remus asked.

"You can me, not sure about Padfoot here." Harry said heading out, "now I have to get ready, got to look my best."

Both Remus and Sirius shot several spells after Harry who just turned, blocked each shot and headed upstairs to get ready. He was nervous as he always got when he had to head out in public, however he knew that the people needed a hero and he just happened to fit that bill. So he had to act the part and do all he could to help the people, it was his job after all. He took his new dress robes out of his closet and laid them on the bed, he may have a house elf but there were still things he liked to do himself. He went to take a shower and then got dressed, like many of the younger generations he wore trousers under his robes tucked into his brown dragonskin boots. He put on a crisp white shirt then his long dark green inner robes and put on his cravat so that there was a bit of white at his neck. He belted his robes with a braided leather belt with his money bag on it and drew on his dark green outer robes then his dark brown cloak. He walked down to where Sirius waited ready for his meeting and was Apparated with Sirius to the Apparation point just outside Gringotts in Diagon Alley.

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Griphook sat in his office waiting for the two humans who would come to see him today. He knew they would be on time, they were considerate that way and he was right. He looked up as Harry come in first then Sirius Black. He grinned, Sirius looked so much the head of house he was now, his hair was still long but it was cut to his shoulders, his face shaved but for a carefully trimmed goatee. He was clad in purple robes with a black cloak over them and his smile reached his gray eyes. Both Harry and Sirius bowed before he bid them to take a seat and he called for tea.

"Remember when I said if you passed the tests I had set forth I would give you my confidence?" Griphook asked.

"Yes sir." Harry said, "I did all I could this last year to prove myself worthy."

"Yes you did indeed, working with the Skeeter witch and the Lovegood paper, getting undersecretary Umbridge locked in Azkaban and laying a trap for Voldemort if I am correct."

"It did not work, I could not kill him." Harry said "fat lot of good that did."

"Well the evil witch Lestrange is dead and we are grateful for that, she had tortured and killed some of my kin."

"I am sorry." Harry said.

His last school year had been interesting indeed, it had started really at the end of his fourth year when Cedric had refused to take the cup with him. He had even sat down and refused, Harry had ended up in the graveyard alone and had no choice but to watch Voldemort come back. Thinking on his feet he refused to duel Voldemort summoning both the cup and Wormtail to him. Though Fudge had given him the kiss in the end and refused to believe Voldemort back too many people had seen Wormtail alive and so Sirius got his trial and was freed and got Harry one week into his stay at the Dursleys. Harry had the co-operation of Rita Skeeter and with the help of Ginny he contacted the Lovegood family and the rest was history.

It was not fair how he baited Umbridge that year, how he acted cowed and "afraid to upset his new guardian" when in fact both he and Sirius were gunning to expose her. He had not spoken publicly about Voldemort but several articles appeared about him and who was at the graveyard in _The Quibbler_. Every time Umbridge put up a new decree and refused to teach the students practical spells, every slight was printed for all to see. Though Xeno Lovegood had to go into hiding (using Sirius's basement to print his now very successful paper as the ministry was after him) the stories continued.

Umbridge was foaming as she could not pin a thing on Harry and Rita was able to print true stories to her heart's content. She even had gotten over her grudge with Harry and saw he really was a nice boy and was grateful for the chance given to her. Then the battle at the ministry had ended up, as far as Harry was concerned a complete disaster. Yes Bellatrix was dead and Voldemort was exposed as back but too many had been hurt and Harry could not forget seeing Hermione so still on the floor, Ron attacked by brains and Neville bleeding badly still doing his best to keep fighting even without a wand. Harry looked up at Griphook wondering what he had to tell him now.

"Well you did very good." Griphook said grinning showing his rather sharp teeth, "you are a Goblin mage."

"I am sorry I am what?" Harry asked, "I really don't know what that is."

"Well that is the English translation, what it means is you are part of the Goblin nation, and you are our hope, not a savior no but a helper who can save us from destruction."

"Me sir?" Harry asked, "but how can I do that?"

"The prophecy Mr. Potter."

"You said you did not believe in that. "Sirius said, you said you did not believe that the one to bring the goblin peoples to a glorious age would be known by saving one of his enemy."

"But he did, Severus Snape is here and alive because of Harry Potter." Griphook said getting very excited. "Mr. Potter you will do great things and in fact here is the book that was prepared if the Goblin mage ever showed up. I never believed in this before, I am a Goblin of science and numbers but this well come with me you will wish to see your potions master."

Harry followed Griphook out wondering just what he had got himself into, things just always seemed to happen to him. Why would the Goblins need his help anyway? They ran the banking system of the magical world what could they need from a human teen wizard like him? He followed Griphook through a tunnel and into what looked like an area that was made for humans and he was right, there were witches and wizards here working and they did not pay the two humans following the little Goblin to a small room.

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_So there is chapter one, I hope you liked, more answers to come, such as why the Goblins need a wizard's help at all. Oh and more Severus too, after all he does belong in this fiction as he so rightly told me! _


	3. Chapter 2: Goblin Histories

Chapter Two: Goblin Histories:

Severus Snape was not amused or happy at all, true he was glad to be alive and not dragon chow. However he knew that Harry Potter had saved his life, and yes he should be grateful but gratitude was hard to come by for him. He was sure the brat would demand something of him and already he was a captive in Grimmauld place of all places! It was nice to have women fawning over him even if he scowled and snapped at both Molly and Poppy and it was nice to be free from spying and an annoying headmaster who had yet to come and talk to him. He was warm, free of pain and even clad in his own warm dark gray night shirt and tucked into a nice warm bed. He even had a house elf on his side by the name of Kreacher who loved to take care of him, probably because he was head of Slytherin.

His life really was looking better but he was not about to think that, no he loved to think dark and evil thoughts and he was sure Harry would shove him in a dungeon soon enough. It was this reason he had got up in search of a drink of alcohol, he was really wanting to get drunk and though his legs were still healing he was going to get his drink. Or so he thought as he made his way to the door, and out, he did not see Sirius Black until it was too late and he crashed into the man and to the floor. Sirius leapt back at once and was about to shout for someone when Molly was right there with Poppy.

"May I ask what the hell is going on here?" Molly said her wand pointed right between Sirius's eyes.

"I ah, he fell?" Sirius stammered while Poppy was scanning Severus, "er he does not look so good."

"He fell, you sure you did not have anything to do with that Sirius Black?" Molly snapped.

"Er he ah ran into me?" Sirius said weakly.

"As much as I would love to see him in trouble he is right, I fell when I ran into him." Severus said. "I was going for a drink." Damn that was the wrong thing to say as both women were glaring at him, "I wanted some Coke?"

"Go-back-to-bed-now!" Poppy snarled. "No here let me help you."

Severus glared at her as she levitated him back to bed and tucked him in. She did at least put some books on his nightstand and once she had finished giving him his potions and checking him over she left only to have Molly bring in a tray full of food. Severus grunted thank you and ate everything, he was only slightly surprised at the fact that Molly seemed to know he needed lots of food to keep going, what with his high metabolism he could eat anything he wanted and never worry about being overweight. Molly smiled at him, wither he liked it or not he now had at the least an old sister (no-one could ever replace his own kind sweet mother) to take care of him. He settled back with the books smiling as he realized they were all on the dark arts and were all about potions to boot.

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Once more the hero of our story, a young teen was seated in the library of his godfather's home. He held a book in his hands that had just come from Griphook that he could only hope had the answers he was looking for. He looked up as Ron came into the library looking for Hermione and he grinned, he so love to tease his good friend and why not now? Ron would always be taller than him, Harry could not compete with that, nor could he compete with how lean his friend was either. Ron could eat anything he wanted and he would never get fat, his metabolism was set on awesomely high and would never change. He had at least grown into his limbs and like his brothers and sister he had flaming red hair and freckles on his face, he had, like the twins and Bill blue eyes like their father where everyone else had their mothers merry brown eyes.

"So what is that?" Ron asked summoning up a plate of pastries offering Harry one before he tucked in.

"Er it is a book on Goblins." Harry said, "Hermione is not here mate, she went shopping with Ginny and Dora."

"Oh well how did you know I was looking for her?" Ron asked.

"Since when else would you come willingly into a library?" Harry teased.

"Oi I do come into the library to study and you know it!" Ron said turning red, "you prat I am not well…"

"Yes you are interested in her, anyway I have this book to read." Harry said.

"Why? Aiming to take Binns place?"

"No well er the Goblins want me to be what they call a Goblin mage or help them." Harry said.

"Goblins want you to help them?" Ron said, "wow they must not know you well then."

"That is what I said and they laughed, anyway this could be good for us." Harry said.

"Why does everything seem to happen to you?" Ron said more in sympathy than jealously as in years past as he understood just a little what Harry was going through and of course he was a smart boy when he used his mind "cannot anyone let you live a normal life?"

"No fate has this thing with me, wants me to be some sort of hero and I would rather be just Harry." Harry said.

"Yea I know, I am going to go to Diagon Alley, want to come?"

"Can't got to study." Harry said.

"Alright, see you later then." Ron said as he left the room.

Harry opened the book and started to read the introduction to the book. _Dear human who has been given this task of Goblin mage. If the ancient prophecies are true then you are that person and are reading this book. The prophecy is as follows: "in future days the one will come to unite that which is now fractured. Centaurs, Goblins, Gremlins and humans will unite to push back the great evil. The Goblin mage will save the one thrice betrayed by the one he did first pledge to and will bring the world to a great new age with Goblins saved and Gremlins honored and Centaurs placed in honor with humans to rule all in harmony." You are the one of the prophecy as you did save the one who was thrice betrayed and now for the true history of the Goblins so you understand your roll._

_Long ago in ages past and faded deep in the wells of time there lived the four great races in harmony and peace. Noble elves, wise centaurs, cunning dwarves and honorable human, all lived in peace and light and goodness. Then came evil for evil always wishes to destroy that which is good and noble and did corrupt many of the elves and humans and did turn them to evil and dark ways. Out of this great evil came the dark and evil Orc who did spread their evil across the land and did enslave many peoples and did all they could to plunge the world to darkness._

_The Orc needed slaves and so they did create two types of slaves, one were the Gremlins, brownies or house elves as you humans call them. Very powerful creatures who they used as their house hold servants. The next created were the Goblins, our race and it was the Orc downfall they did awaken us. We fought long and hard for our masters, ages past and we were as feared as our masters. Yet slowly we learned that our masters were evil but we would not do as the Gremlins did and bind ourselves in protection to the humans. We fought on our own and finally did vanquish and destroy the evil Orc, we thought honor would be ours but we were soon taught that was not to be._

_We took the place, in the human's eyes the place of the Orc races, Goblin became a horrible word for humans and tales of things we did not do were spread. The horrible Orc were lumped with us and were called Goblin as we were but they were not the same race, they were fallen, we were noble and so for a time we hid from humans but they wished only for our destruction. Only our cunning could save us, we warred and fought for so long and could not prevail. We finally turned to our talents and did mine and create things for the humans who ruled the world._

_We found a chance to keep our race safe when the Roman humans did fall and leave much of the world, magical included without a good means of keeping wealth safe. Our noble ancestor Gringotts did come and created the first bank and pledged to keep the wizard gold safe. We have done so honorably and though we are called ruthless we have never asked what a human would to keep gold safe. Yet even our guarding the gold of the wizards could not keep us safe as the last "Goblin Rebellion" you call it could have destroyed us. We only fought because you humans wished to enslave us fully and bind us as creatures not beings in our own right. We had lost all hope in humans when the prophecy came to being, many did not believe it but a few Goblins did and so we waited, until now, you young human we will rally behind as you are the Goblin mage._

"Oh bloody hell why does fate hate me so?" Harry said put the book on a table carefully.

"Master Harry potions master Snape wishes to see you." Kreacher said coming into the room bowing before Harry.

"Thank you Kreacher, could you make sure that there is a body bag ready for me?" Harry said getting up.

"Master Harry will not need a body bag."

"Right just have madam Pomfrey on standby." Harry said.

"Of course master Harry."

Harry walked out and up the stairs to where Severus was at wondering just how mad he was. He could not be happy Harry had managed to sneak the portkey on him in a way that would allow the Goblins to save his life. No he was about to get hexed to the middle of next week and he braced himself as he walked up to the door, and raised his hand knocking at the door wondering if he was dead.

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_Yes a cliffhanger, do review and I will update faster!_


	4. Chapter 3: The Truth of Severus Snape

Chapter Three: The Truth of Severus Snape:

Harry heard the deep baritone of Severus bark out enter and he opened the door and slid quietly into the room. He saw Severus propped up by several pillows with a book across his lap. He scowled at the boy who stood before him looking anywhere but at him. He narrowed his eyes at the brat, he had changed and did not look so much as his father as his father never would have gone for long hair and he certainly would not have dressed as Harry was in jeans and a tee shirt.

"Sit Harry." Severus said, he only called the boy by his first name to separate him from his father, no other reason. "You expect my thanks for what you did?"

"No sir, you owe me nothing, I could not let you die." Harry replied nervously, the glare he was getting from Severus unnerved him and he continued, "you have done so much for me and the magical world, you were betrayed by Voldemort time and again even when you gave him all you had."

"I failed, I can no longer spy."

"No you did not fail, I am still alive." Harry said and Severus did his best to glare at the boy.

He could not let the boy know he cared about him, he just could not, not after what he had done to the boy and his family. If not for him telling Voldemort all he knew about that damn prophecy Harry would have grown up with a loving family not with his dratted aunt and uncle. He had been so blind the first few years Harry was at Hogwarts, and then came the year of the Tournament. One look at the terrified boy had made him realize Harry really had not put his name in the Goblet and how did Severus treat the boy for that? Well he really was petty and he knew it, and something was wrong with him, why had he shown such dislike to the boy?

"It's your mark." Harry said realizing something, "I know why you treated me as you did, your mark!"

"That is actually the smartest thing you have ever said." Severus said watching as Harry took something from a pouch on his belt, "what is that boy?"

"Something that should help." Harry said, "the Goblins said it would hurt."

"It hurt getting this, will it remove the mark?"

"Should, let me start please?"

Severus nodded and Harry placed the medallion on Severus's dark mark. He gasped in pain as the cold steel seemed to light up and it felt like fire went straight down to the bone. It felt like hours before the pain ended but it was only minutes. Once done Severus lay back and smiled feeling so much lighter and freer and he grinned as he saw only a scar outline of where the mark had been. He looked up at Harry and without any effort saw Harry for Harry and realized he did care for this boy and then he realized he had to tell Harry about what he had done and he could not handle the anger and hatred from the boy he just could not!

"I know what you did sir." Harry said softly, "you did not know what he would do once you gave him that and you made a vow to protect me when you found out."

"Who told you?" Severus asked.

"No-one sir, I just know, because of the unbreakable vow you made with my mother and father." Harry said, "you risked all to save me."

"I was unjust to you Harry, forgive me?"

"I was not exactly easy to deal with either sir." Harry said, "I forgive you if you will forgive me for being an ass to you."

"Very well, so what now?" Severus asked.

"You want to play chess or exploding Snap?"

The two set up the chessboard on a table by the bed and Severus set the board with his wand. A very intense game of chess began and Harry proved that he was good but no-where near the level Severus was at. Harry knew that Severus hurt and blamed himself for what had happened all those years ago. Yet how could he be angry with Severus? He had not meant for his parents to get killed and he had gone against Voldemort because he was lied to by that creature and was not leading the Wizarding world to a new golden age but straight down to hell. Severus had to stop that and it proved he really was the bravest man Harry had ever known.

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Sirius was having a grand day, well maybe not grand as but a good day. Even with Severus Snape in his house, even with the greasy git really on their side nothing to dampen his rather good mood. He you see was in love, no really, not just wanting to date a pretty face and that was that, no he was really truly in love and with whom might you ask? Why one Emmeline Vance of course, a stately very talented witch with long dark hair and lovely olive colored eyes. Yes he was very much in love with her and he had even asked her to marry him and she had accepted! He was humming as he walked by the open door of the library and continued on his way to the kitchens when he came back in a hurry his jaw practically on the floor.

"Yes we were thinking the same thing." Fred said popping up right next to him.

"It is indeed a grand day to see inner-house cooperation." George added popping up right beside his brother.

"But they, Harry with him, why?" Sirius stammered.

"Not sure, it does take a bit of getting used to." Ron said, "though it was fun to watch Ginny take him out in a game or two."

"But he, he is a greasy git!" Sirius squeaked.

"He can hear you, you know." Severus said from where he was seated.

"Harry why are you playing chess with him?" Sirius asked, "are you alright? Did you lose a bet? Who did you make it with?"

"Mr. Moony would like to tell Mr. Padfoot that Mr. Far Sight and Professor Shadow are friends."

"Moony!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The anguished howl and the look of horror on Sirius's face would be something that Severus would never forget. Oh he knew he would have many times to shock and annoy Sirius but never as good as this. He smirked as he barely avoided being put into checkmate by Harry and he sat back as Harry lost a very close match. Severus loved getting Sirius like this and he smiled a very evil smile at the insane Animagmus Black.

Of course Harry was an Animagmus, he was a hawk, Severus was a nice large black wolf and his Animagmus name was Shadow. Or professor Shadow, the twins were identical Siamese cats, with apple shaped heads, strong bodies and kinked tails. They had at first made their mother happy they could do this then angry as they took to playing around the house that way until she had in a fit of anger named them, Fred was Mayhem and George was Mischief, of course they loved their Animagmus names and nothing could get them to change them.

"I love seeing him unable to speak." Severus smirked.

"Agreed, it is funny." Harry said turning to Sirius, "Severus made a vow with mum and dad, so he is family."

"He is family?" Sirius whined. "What does that make me?"

"The family dog." Severus said watching Sirius go red. "I have a nice green collar for you, a flea collar."

"See Harry this is why I don't like Snape, it was like this throughout school." Sirius said.

"You started it." Remus, Severus and Harry said at the same time.

"Yea I guess I did." Sirius said, "I did say I was sorry, but Moony he can't be a Marauder!"

"Well he taught us all we know in potions." Fred said.

"Even helped fund our shop!" George said and the room went quiet.

"Well it was a good investment." Severus said.

"You know I still don't really like you." Sirius said.

"Because I am smarter than you and can beat you up?" Severus said, "could even when I was a scrawny scrap of a firstie?"

Sirius just glared at Severus but knew he was right. He hated the fact that a poor scrawny half-blood boy could beat him in just about anything. Severus was far more powerful than he was and though Sirius may not have liked his family that much he had expected his pureblood to be make him more powerful than Severus. It had not and Severus had taken on four boys at once. He headed into the kitchen with Severus and all thoughts of his feuding with Severus left him as he saw Dumbledore sitting here looking so very sad and unhappy.

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_So as you can see I had Severus make an unbreakable vow to Harry's parents to keep him safe. Its commonly used in fan-fictions I know, but it does make since. I would like to think that making such a vow not just binds the person to do what they vowed to do but makes it as if they were family to the one they bound to and vise-versa. That is why Harry is so forgiving (he was in canon when he learned what Severus did in the Prince's Tale) and why he feels so close to him now and after the mark is gone as well._


	5. Chapter 4: The Woes of the Headmaster

_Thank you all for your reviews! You guys are awesome! _

_Here is the next chapter hope you like!_

Chapter Four: The Woes of the Headmaster:

Sirius looked at the sad face of the headmaster and to Molly Weasley who was seated by the ancient headmaster. Harry came into the room after Sirius and stopped seeing the headmaster at that moment. They were not, well Harry was not seeing eye to eye with the headmaster and he glared at the old warlock. Dumbledore looked up at him sadly and some of the anger died in Harry, he had not been happy to learn the headmaster had kept the prophecy from him and he had showed his anger in a very violent and rather destructive way in Dumbledore's office.

"Headmaster." Harry said wondering why he was here, "what are you doing here?"

"Harry James Potter you will show the headmaster respect!" Molly snapped.

"Why it's not as if he showed Harry any." Severus growled taking a seat by Harry putting a hand on his shoulder.

"You are right Severus, I am a horrible foolish old man who has done all of you wrong." Dumbledore said sadly, "I have hurt you all and I never meant to, I never did!"

"Oh really, you have planned and manipulated me from the first time I came to Hogwarts, hell even before when you stuck me with the Dursleys!" Harry snarled.

"My greatest mistake." Dumbledore said.

The headmaster was trembling and he looked so pale and was on the verge of crying. In fact after Minerva laid into him fully he had cried and said he had never wanted Harry harmed he loved him too much for him to be hurt. In fact that was one of Dumbledore's weaknesses, he wanted to protect Harry too much and he wanted him to have a good and happy life. Tears trickled down his face and Severus sighed, he knew the aged headmaster was working himself up too much, he would have gave him a calming draught in a cup of tea but Molly beat him to it giving him her special calming tea.

"Harry I was so wrong in so much, I could not see that your relations would not want you there. Thought your aunt would be honored to have you. She did write me after all about the magical world once."

"She did?" Harry said looking amazed at that news.

"Yes she did, and the headmaster wrote her a very nice letter about why she could not go to Hogwarts but how she was a very bright and smart woman and would go far in life." Severus said, "I er snooped with Lily we were childhood friends."

"So you did not know?" Harry said some of his anger deflated, "but the blood wards."

"I had Minerva put up rune wards as well, those to repel any dark creatures or those with the dark mark, I am sorry Severus and some to keep you healthy."

"Oh so that is why I never got sick as a child." Harry said, "just thought I was lucky then. But what about when I started school the stone?"

"I knew when you came back that Voldemort was most likely not dead, I feared either he or a servant of his would try to harm you. I set up the stone as a trap, I never wanted you hurt Harry, never that I did what I did to protect you and hopefully trap Voldemort, you and your friends proved to be quite smart, and you should not have got through as you did but luck was on your side."

"Fine I buy that what about second year?" Harry said.

"Harry Basilisks are extremely rare, so rare that very few have ever seen one or know they can petrify if you look at them indirectly."

"Why did you not ask Moaning Myrtle how she died?" Harry asked.

"She refused to speak to adults, in fact when I tried to talk to her she set Peeves on me." Severus said, "took the Bloody Baron a week to calm him down."

"Oh, well I see, but why did Fawkes come to me?" Harry asked.

"Fawkes is tied to the school, when you called for help he recognized you and came to you. You Harry made quite an impression on him when he first saw you, in fact he likes you very much." Dumbledore said his eyes twinkling for a moment. "I am sure the sorting hat asked to be taken to you and we found out why."

"I buy that but what about Sirius? How could you not know he had not had a trial?"

"Because Barty Crouch told me Sirius confessed fully to him and he was found guilty, I did not probe further as Barty was such a good friend."

"Well he lied, just wanted to show the ancient house of Black he could and would destroy them." Sirius said bitterly, "the Crouches and Blacks never did get along."

"Fine but what about the fake Moody?" Harry snapped, "you had to know that was not Moody."

"I was too worried about you Harry, I know I should have spent more time with him but I did not, I am a foolish old man and I do not blame you for not wishing to have anything to do with me." Here Dumbledore broke down and cried.

"Sir please don't." Harry said getting up and going to him, "please sir I don't hate you and I do want you in my life I am sorry for what I said please sir don't, don't cry."

He hugged the aged headmaster who just cried more and Severus handed over a clean handkerchief to Harry who gave it to the headmaster. At this time McGonagall came into the room and saw Fred and George turn to their Animagmus forms to see if they could cheer up the headmaster and they began to play on the table pouncing and play fighting on the table. McGonagall was torn between going to Dumbledore and the temptation of the twin cats on the table. She gave into the temptation and soon a sliver tabby was playing with the twins on the table.

"Oh wow sir that is a sight I never thought I would see!" Harry said his green eyes shining and he laughed, a rich real laugh as the three cats played on the table. "Sirius get the camera!"

"Got it Harry, ah yes this is going up in the entry hall!" Sirius said.

"Oh my that is quite the sight." Dumbledore said drying his eyes and smiling at the antics of his Gryffindor head of house.

"Oh no please!" Harry said as Severus and Sirius looked at each other and at once turned, Severus was a huge black wolf a tad larger than Sirius and they took to chasing the cats from the room. "Oh no, no that I never expected to see!"

"I did not see it." Molly sighed, "can't control them anyway, Harry!"

The others turning into their animal forms was too much for Harry and he flashed into Far-Sight a green eyed brown feathered hawk and he flew from the room after his friends. Dumbledore was back to a good mood, it was good to see Harry and the others could still be so happy even after all that was going on. Finally though the students and adults came back into the room, McGonagall and Severus looking prim and proper with everyone else laughing and enjoying themselves.

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A few days later Harry was sprawled across a couch in the sitting room studying the book Griphook had given him. He had learned so much and was finding out that the Goblins were not really that different from humans when it came to wanting freedom, having strong family structures and social structure. There were differences, they liked to live in comfortable caves and they did not have bedrooms but shelves where the whole family slept. They valued steel and silver over gold and jewels, gold and jewels gave them freedom and a place in the magical world. Their money was in silver and steel and the jewels they did wear were more to show rank than wealth. Knowledge, cunning and wit were worth more than anything and the challenge of getting into a tomb was almost worth more than the actual artifacts.

Severus entered the room and took a seat looking up in surprise as Fawkes came through the window and went first to Harry to nuzzle him then to Severus standing on the back of his chair preening his hair! Severus pretended to encore the bird and went on with his reading just as Dumbledore came into the room and beamed as he saw Fawkes with Severus. Phoenixes were known for their ability to distinguish good from evil and that was the reason Dumbledore trusted Severus. When he had come to him all those years ago and to his office Fawkes had gone to him to comfort him. It was then Dumbledore knew what a good man his potions master was. He smiled and took a seat and once more wondered if he could get Severus to wear something besides dark boring colors. Yes he could use a set of nice bright robes, maybe not the bright purple robes trimmed in a fetching burnt orange but something brighter.

"Ah I see where Fawkes got to." Albus said eyes twinkling.

"This oversized chicken seems to think I need preening." Severus said putting down his book and looking at the bird who cocked his head at him, Severus gave him a owl treat that Fawkes ate happily. "Hmm you bloody bird go to your master, I am losing my reputation I will have you know."

"Only among the firsties." Harry said really wanting to have fun with his professor, "all the upper year girls talk about you."

"Oh do they my boy what do they say?" Dumbledore said encoring the death glare sent his way.

"Well they talk about how tall dark and well er sexy he is sir." Harry said and went on, "I mean you did get all those Valentines last year…."

"Potter you are so very dead now." Severus said calmly getting up, "you encouraged those girls?"

"No that was Fred and George, they told me" Harry said.

"And you helped get the rest of the magical world to write me love notes?"

"Yes, I mean ah bye!"

Harry took off running and Dumbledore got up to save poor Harry from Severus. He was about to head down the stairs when Molly yelling got him to scurry for the safety of the sitting room. Fawkes shook his head at Dumbledore but came and sat on his shoulder and began to preen his wizard's hair.

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_I don't see Dumbledore as evil or really smart enough to do a lot of the manipulations many say he can. No I see him as fully human, one who like most of us makes mistakes. He even said in canon he does, so that is the man I show here. I thought JKR really did him a disservice in the last book as he has always been one of my favorite characters._


	6. Chapter 5: Griphook at Grimmauld Place

Chapter Five: Griphook at Grimmauld Place:

Griphook straightened his cloak and kept his hood lowered over his head so grateful for the human dwarf who had come with him. He was not used to being in human company and muggle London was not a place he liked at all. Still he would not be the shortest there, humans were normally so tall but this one, Filius Flitwick was shorter than he. They were in the entry way of Grimmauld place and Griphook pushed back his hood and was lead down to the kitchen. He saw Kreacher and sneered at the house elf who snarled at the Goblin.

"We are not at war gentle-elf and goblin." Flitwick said, "we are on the same side."

"Yes professor Flitwick." Kreacher said. "this is filthy goblin."

"We are the stronger you are weak you…"

"Griphook please Kreacher is a good house elf, he is very loyal to the house Black." Flitwick said.

"For you human friend of Harry Potter I will keep my peace."

He gave the little old elf a glare and headed past him and down to the kitchens. Once there he paused as he watched an all out battle going on. Severus Snape and Alastor Moody were in a full out wand battle, of course Severus had started it by insulting Moody badly and being very rude. So now he was fighting Moody as he refused to take back his words. Years before Moody had interrogated a young Severus, oh he had not hurt him but he had learned all about him and had in his own way done his best to keep the younger Slytherin under his care. Yet right now he was going to teach a certain young man a lesson in why he did not insult him all the time.

"Boy ye will apologize or I will beat ye!" Moody roared.

"Never you old pervert!" Severus shouted back ducking as several spells came his way, "that all you got old man?"

"I will old man you, boy!"

"Seems as if young Snape needs to treat his elders better." Griphook said grinning. "They do this often?"

"Once a week so far since Severus has come here, so far Alastor wins." Harry said from the doorway, "they are trying to convince everyone else they hate each other, it's not working."

"Ah got ye, ye horrid brat!" Moody said disarming Severus and binding him, "apologize now!"

"Never do your worst!" Severus snarled.

"Stop it you two we have a guest." Molly said walking into the kitchen, "I doubt Mr. Griphook needs to see you two acting like idiots."

Griphook was surprised to be treated with such respect by humans. He was taught humans saw Goblins as evil and that he had to be very careful around them. He had seen how rude and how the humans looked down at him at the bank. He had never come across humans being nice to them and on their own turf. In fact he had never been in a human house, the tents in Egypt not counting as that was how all live in the deserts around found tomes. He grinned as Severus was whacked upside the head with a rolled up daily prophet and when Harry smirked at him he was smacked lightly with the potion master's hand.

"Ow uncle Severus!" Harry grumbled, "what was that for?"

"You being a brat of course." Severus replied.

"Will you behave we have a guest!" Molly said turning to Griphook, "I apologize for them, they well can be rude."

"It is alright Mrs. Weasley." Griphook said please inside that she was trying to include him, he was smart enough to know this was new for all of them.

"So you have to come and haunt my family do you?" Bill Weasley said from the door.

Griphook turned to the tall human before him. Bill had his long flaming hair tied back from his hansom freckled face with one fang earring in on ear and he was clad in heavy dark blue trousers humans called jeans tucked into heavy buckled dragonskin boots and a long-sleeved tee with a burning long balloon on it. His blue eyes shone as he was teasing the Goblin and he got on well enough with the Goblins that there was a small bit of trust on each side.

"Master Griphook please have a seat." Harry said, "thank you for coming."

"Of course Mr. Potter." Griphook said, "thank you for allowing me here at the ancient house of Black."

"I am honored to have you here." Sirius said walking in, "I would like to apologize for how you have been treated by humans, Harry told all of us about what the front of the book said, Kreacher confirmed it."

"Yes Kreacher confirmed to nasty master that house elves went to humans to serve not hurt." Kreacher said as he came into the room to help with the tea. He was clad in a black tunic and breeches, a uniform not clothes. "Though Kreacher is shamed to serve a cruel and wicked master like master Black."

"You know I really should not have been as kind as I was." Sirius growled, "giving you a right smart uniform and having you come to me for punishments."

"Master Harry good master though." Kreacher said walking to Harry, "what can Kreacher get for master Harry?"

Kreacher did not really hate Sirius, not anymore, not after he had found the locket and had let Harry speak with Kreacher. He found out the pain Kreacher had suffered in seeing Regulus die in the cave and Sirius had started to be nicer to Kreacher. Kreacher called him wicked and horrible but he would die for his master and was a hardworking elf now, head over two other elves that worked here, one Dobby and Winky, Dobby was only here as Harry was and he wanted to be near his master and Winky was here as Sirius had taken her into his family. Griphook settled in for the long haul and hoped he would get quite a few things done today with Harry.

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_So there is that, another chapter, another day. Oh and Flitwick is not part Goblin in this fiction of mine he is a human dwarf, with __Spondyloepiphyseal Dysplasia__, , in fact he is really short for a human dwarf as it is. He is just a little man who is a very powerful wizard._


	7. Chapter 6: At Gringotts

Chapter Six: At Gringotts:

Harry followed Griphook through Diagon Alley and into Gringotts with Sirius. They headed to the offices of the Goblins and it looked as if both were going for a meeting on their accounts. However that was not the case, today Harry was going to put what he had learned to use. If he had the magic, and Griphook was sure he did he would be able to use the weapons that went with the book that had chose Harry as the Goblin mage. Both humans and goblin had the hoods of their cloaks over their faces and no-one paid either any mind. Harry did not much like his fame and was glad to just be able to walk through Diagon alley without anyone recognizing him.

While Sirius was here to go over his accounts Harry was taken to a plain door down a hall from the offices of the goblins and to a small lift. He got in and Griphook pressed a button and they were off deep into the earth. They came out deep under London, Harry thought it had to be miles under London but only the goblins really knew how deep he was. He stepped out into a tunnel that was level paved with stone and the walls shored up were needed with good strong beams. The ceilings were lower than what he would have liked but still they were high enough so that he could walk along at full height and the ceiling was still a foot above him.

They walked along and soon they came to a long opening in the tunnel that was held up with carved columns that ended in a short wall two feet high. Harry looked out over the massive space in awe at what he was seeing. Hundreds of goblins were working, most were working on the monies used in the Wizarding world, others on weapons, and other metals that the Wizarding world bought in droves. The space itself was beautiful, Harry could find no other words for it. The space was carved and shaped to look like a cathedral with carved pillars and statues of amazing stonework. The "windows" were all stained glass that showed goblin histories and there was a light behind them that Harry knew was not from the sun but was goblin made.

"We do not use torch-lit young human." Griphook said, "we use what your non-magical humans do, the electricity comes from thermo-vents."

"But what about magic, does that not interfere?" Harry asked.

"You know of Tesla no?" Griphook asked.

"Er Tesla coils?" Harry replied.

"Well unlike many non-magical humans in the sciences, arts, communication, physics and the like this one human was magical and he was able to get electricity and magic to work together."

"Oh, he was good to you was he not?" Harry asked getting a sharp look from Griphook, "he treated you as an equal."

"Still does young human, you know him by another name though, he is Nicholas Flamel and between you and I he will not die, just take on a new name with his wife."

"Oh so the stone…"

"He does not need the stone to stay alive, his wife and he will live long, even they do not fully know why. You cannot speak of this you understand."

"Yes sir." Harry said.

They walked past four more chambers full of busy goblins and they came finally to a smaller plain chamber where several high goblins waited. Harry stepped into the chamber removing his hood knowing he was the first human to ever enter this chamber. It was done completely in black marble with two towering statues of goblins in full battle regalia flanking a dais. Gold leaf trimmed the tops and bottoms of the columns and before the dais stood an anvil on which rested what looked like a Frankish battle axe. He stepped forward and bowed low before the high goblins clad in their best velvets, silks and satins all in black red and gold.

"Harry James Potter come forward." One of the Goblins said.

Harry stepped forward until he stood before the anvil.

"This weapon has been made for the Goblin mage, we goblins forged it but it is not ours to use, to prove you are worthy of the honor it is not enough for you to read a book, you must take up this battle axe."

"Er that is it sir?" Harry asked.

"Indeed Mr. Potter." The goblin said grinning.

Harry stepped up and reached out to pick up the axe, and almost dropped it once he had a good grip on it. He felt pain like fire going through his body but he dared not drop the axe. His whole hand was glowing white hot and the pain was more intense than any he ever had felt. Then, as suddenly as the pain had come it was gone and he saw a set of runes on the back of his hands. The goblins grinned as one and looked at him with respect.

"Very good Mr. Potter, you are indeed what we have been looking for." Ragnook the lead goblin said, "your training will began as soon as your guardian gives permission."

"Yes sir" Harry said irked he was not considered an adult.

"Ah young master you will be of age in a year, but allow your godfather to take care of you as he wishes to. He will be honored for that."

"Yes sir." Harry said.

He was finding out goblins were not anything like what he had learned, they could be ruthless but only because they had to be. They were a hard but noble race for the most part and were nothing like the Orc who had created them. They were a good people and Harry was realizing that centuries of misunderstanding could end and then with a shock he realized he was the hope of an entire race of beings. He felt humbled and a bit scared as he headed back up to meet with Sirius.

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_So there is that, Harry now has at least one weapon. He is still a minor and the goblins are right, Sirius has a right to make sure he is well cared for._


	8. Chapter 7: Changing of the Guard

Chapter Seven: Changing of the Guard:

Severus was trying to read, he really was but the aged headmaster was making that rather hard. The reason was the fact of the headmaster pacing the sitting room of Grimmauld place waiting for Harry to come back. Finally Severus carefully put a bookmark in his book, set it aside and glared up at that headmaster. Really this had to stop and he was about to say something when Molly Weasley came in with a treat for them. Severus's mouth watered at the smell of the cinnamon rolls Molly had here. She never did tell where she had got the recipe and Severus had not found anywhere in all of England that had anything like these soft moist very cinnamon filled goodness with the iced frosting on them. He took one and began to eat it happily never having to worry about gaining an ounce.

"Lucy is sending his family here to be kept safe." Severus said seeing if that would get Dumbledore to stop pacing, "you know all the work he has done for us, it is the least Sirius could do."

"Hmm, Sirius will be happy to see his cousin will he not?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes I am thrilled." Sirius said walking into the sitting room, "either she is going to hex me for killing Bellatrix or brining Andromeda back into the family."

"Hello Harry, the goblins did treat you well?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yea, my Gobbledegook was good enough to get through the meeting." Harry replied, "thank you for your help sir."

"Well it was mostly you, you show the same talent for languages that I and a few others do."

"I can speak French and Latin now." Ron said coming into the room and lighting up as Severus floated the tray of cinnamon buns over to him. "Thank you professor!"

"You are welcome Mr. Weasley."

Harry took a seat happy to be here and happy that the headmaster was helping him out so much. He feared after he had yelled at him trashed his office the aged headmaster would want nothing to do with him. Yet the headmaster had taken an oath to help him in whatever he needed and he had kept his word. He was teaching Harry everything he knew and he had even brought up the theory of multiple Horcruxes. Harry had spoke to Slughorn and had made him feel guilty enough to tell him all about what he had said to Riddle. Harry had not seen him for a long time but it was rumored he was being kept safe at Malfoy Manor. He looked up as Kreacher came into the room and bowed low.

"Mistress Cissy and master Draco are here." He said, "oh happy day to have mistress Cissy here, she is good to Kreacher!"

"Kreacher I swear I will let Severus use you in potions if you don't stop being so disrespectful of me!" Sirius snapped.

"Master must do as master wishes." Kreacher said then added, "but master Severus would never harm Kreacher, master Severus believe Kreacher good elf!"

"Kreacher is not good elf, he speaks cruelly to his good master!" Dobby said popping up right next to Harry glaring at Kreacher, "Dobby good elf, Dobby would never speak of master Harry badly."

"Dobby it is alright, Kreacher can speak how he wants, Sirius deserves to be humbled." Narcissa said from the doorway to the sitting room.

Harry turned to see Narcissa and his jaw nearly dropped to the floor, he had seen her once or twice from a distance and in half-light. However in the sitting room of Grimmauld place she was a stunning beauty. She had long honey blond hair that she wore piled on her head, blond hair was rare in the Black family but every now and then it did show up as it had in Narcissa. She had a beautiful face that was a soft feminine version of Sirius's and she had gray eyes too. She was clad in well fitting robes of deep blue that showed off a feminine shapely but still thin figure. She was tall and Harry at five foot six was an inch at the least shorter than her. Sirius had perfect teasing material as his godson was unable to form words at the moment and he looked over at Severus who was smirking at the moment.

"Ah Mr. Potter good to see you." Narcissa said and Harry managed to rise to his feet and take her hand gently.

"I am honored to have such an exquisite lady here." Harry said, "words cannot describe your beauty the sun hides in shame as he can not compare to thee."

"Watch it Potter that is my mother you are speaking about!" Draco said stepping up.

"Well your mother is very lovely Malfoy." Ron said, "I wish you had a sister."

"Godfather?" Draco said brushing by Harry and Ron seeing Severus standing very much alive and here. "Godfather I was told you were dead!"

Here he did something Harry never thought Draco would do, he all but ran to Severus and hugged him refusing to let him go. Severus soothed him holding him close and Harry understood how Draco felt, if something happened to Sirius and he had thought him dead and found he was alive he would not care if all of the world saw him hug his godfather. Finally Draco broke off and turned to face Harry glaring at him as if daring him to say something.

"Is it true that your father is a spy?" Harry asked.

"Yes it is, I do not support Voldemort, what of it?" Draco said glaring at Harry.

"Well glad to hear it." Harry said, "even if you are a prat."

"True, but then I have a right to be, I am a Malfoy." Draco said smugly.

"Draco I did not raise you to be so rude!" Narcissa said sharply.

"Sorry mother." Draco said.

He sat down next to Severus while Kreacher brought tea. He could not keep his eyes off of Dobby and Harry let the little elf talk with Draco. It was not Draco's fault his father had been cruel to the elf and treated him badly and he now belonged to Harry. Severus hoped that he would not have fights to break up later, for now though Harry and Draco seemed to be getting along and he hoped it lasted. Still he was going to stock up on healing potions just in case.

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Lucius walked up to the ancient house of Riddle wondering if Voldemort would be the last person he would ever see. He hated the man and himself for ever joining him. Well no matter he had done all he could to destroy the bastard and at least his family was safe. Though he was sure Voldemort was going to be very upset he had not brought his son as he had promised to do. He walked into the manor and to the throne room where he fell to his knees before the red-eyed monster kissing the hem of his robes and remaining huddled on the floor on his knees.

"Where is your son Lucius?" Voldemort asked.

"I know not master." Lucius said trembling (it was the truth after all as he had no idea where his son was taken for safety) "I went home today to get him to bring him and he was not there."

"Did you ask your wife?" Voldemort said.

"She was gone and a letter was left master, for you." Lucius said trembling he handed the letter to Voldemort who read it and threw it aside in anger, "I am sorry master."

"You will be get up!" Voldemort snarled. "Come with me!"

Really trembling now Lucius did, he knew he was going to be torture and he was forced out of the manor to the graveyard. He was dimly aware of MacNair following them out and he knew he was going to be whipped, he was sure of it. He wondered why out here and not in the manor but then again he could not be sure why Voldemort did what he did on a daily bases. Lucius was too scared to even move as his mask and hood were taken off and Voldemort personally unbuttoned his robes stripping them off his back along with Lucius's shirt. Lucius stood there his grey eyes wide with fear, his light silver blond hair shining in the moon-light.

"MacNair give me your whip." Voldemort said.

"Master please let me have more time!" Lucius said hoping to get out of this beating. "I know he wants to join, please let me find him!"

"No! Alastor Moody has him and you failed me Lucius, when I find the boy he will be mine and no longer yours do you understand me?!" Voldemort snarled.

"Yes master." Lucius replied head bowed.

"Master let me punish him." MacNair said.

"No! Ask again and I will give you a taste of the lash." Voldemort snarled.

He turned on Lucius who braced himself for the lash, he could not help but cry out as the whip cut into his back. He could only pray that his son was safe and that Voldemort would never get his evil hands on his son ever.

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_So that is that, Draco does not wish to join Voldemort and he is safe. Lucius may be a spy but he does deserve the pain after all he did to Ginny and others! _


	9. Chapter 8: Training

Chapter Eight: Training:

Harry stood before the small goblin warrior wondering just what he had got himself into. He was clad in breeches and a loose tunic in gray just like the goblin before him. Harry had a Katana in hand and was facing the goblin who had a goblin made Katana of his own. Harry had been working on building up physical stamina and had, in the last year become very strong and in shape. Or so he thought as he faced off against the little goblin. Yet in a very few minutes Harry was disarmed and on the floor with a goblin standing on him sword at his throat.

"Guess I need a bit more training?" Harry said trying for a grin, which was hard with a sword near his jugular. "Ah master Natick that sword is a bit uncomfortable near the jugular."

"Indeed, it would be worst if I removed your head." Natick replied, "you are not as weak as most humans but you have a long way to go. You are not a physical being only, more than this you are."

"Yes, you are right master, luminous beings are we, not just crude matter cobbled from dust and clay." Harry said recalling a quote from a certain movie and tweaking it to make it his own. "I still have to fully tap my core."

"That you do, you are but young and it will come with time."

"I wish I had that time." Harry sighed, "anyway for me to tap it sooner?"

"Well yes but you will not like it, it will not be pleasant." Natick said grinning toothily.

"Well, we better start then." Harry said. "No pain no gain right master?"

Later Harry limped down the stairs at Grimmauld place after taking the portkey from Gringotts. He was sore all over though, he knew what Severus would say about him, his Gryffindor tendencies and all. He sat at the table wincing slightly getting Sirius to look up at him sharply. Molly frowned as she took her seat and watched in awe as a very sour Draco and Ron served dinner. Just what had these two done to earn this punishment of serving? Kreacher was watching them arms folded clearly not happy, it was his job after all to serve but he was instead supervising these two boys.

Harry knew that Kreacher and Molly got on quite well. In fact when Molly learned he had seen his master Regulus die she had apologized to the little elf for how she had treated him. From that day forward he would work with her, letting her cook when she wanted but he still managed to serve and cook some meals. Right now he was not happy to not get to serve but then the two boys had been fighting and this was a punishment for them. Magical humans needed house elves Kreacher knew and house elves needed magical humans. Kreacher would let these boys be punished taking his work but only for this one meal and that was it.

"You look sore Harry, Natick did not over work you did he?" Sirius asked.

"Oh I have no doubt that Harry here would have asked to for help to tap his magical core fully." Severus said getting Sirius to glare at him, "normally full access to the magical core comes years after the magical stability , this is different than magical stability and the ability to use a wand you understand."

"Harry would not do that, I mean that would really hurt." Sirius said.

"Yes he would, Harry you didn't ask to access your core fully?" Hermione asked, "you could end up hurt or a squib if it is done wrong!"

"Well master Natick did say that there were others who needed this done and well seemed safe enough." Harry said, "though I am bloody sore."

"Typical Gryffindor bravery." Severus snorted.

Sirius stabbed his roast beef a bit harder than needed but he remained quiet. After all Severus was a tiny bit right, not as right as Hermione of course as she was really smart and Severus was just a greasy git. He dared not say anything, Narcissa would hex him to the next week if he started a fight, there had been one that day between Ron and Draco and both she and Molly were not going to put up with any other fights. There yelling in stereo at both boys had got him to run and hide whimpering for hours. He may be brave but even he knew to get out of the way of a witch on the warpath. Harry looked up as Draco put dessert before him sulkily, a nice treacle tart with real whipped cream.

"Alright what do I want to know what you two did?" Harry asked.

"They were fighting." Narcissa said coldly and the temperature dropped a few degrees in the room as she spoke, "they were warned."

"He started it!" Both boys said at once.

"I don't care if Albus Dumbledore had started it you both know better!" Severus snarled.

"Yes you do, now you should be ashamed, as you are not a Hogwarts I had to take work from poor Kreacher here!" Molly snapped, "all because you two had to fight!"

"You still have lines to do." Severus said coldly.

"Yes and I do need the library cleaned as well." Sirius said and with a look at Kreacher, "you can clean the bathrooms tomorrow I don't want you complaining I am unfair to you!"

"Master is unfair to Kreacher." Kreacher muttered.

"I cannot get any respect!" Sirius muttered.

"As if you earned any." Severus said softly.

"I will add you to the cleaning detail tomorrow." Molly warned them.

Harry did his best not to snort at this comment and concentrated on his dessert. After dinner he headed up and let Kreacher draw him a very hot bath getting Kreacher on his side as all house elves loved to work and to take that away would put them in a deep depression. Harry stayed in the tub for as long as he could before he dressed in clean PJs and went to bed. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow and he would go through this routine during his training for many, many more days as Natick was only too happy to wear him out in his training.

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_A special thanks to WhiteElfElder for the punishment for Draco and Ron. I just could not come up with anything that did not involve spanking and I did not want to go that route. So give it up for WhiteElfElder!_


	10. Chapter 9: The Attack

Chapter Nine: The Attack:

Harry stood on the platform nervous for the first time since his first year. He had spent his summer training hard in body and mind. He now could get into Voldemort's mind and keep the old monster out, it was how he had found out about the attack on the train that was to take place today. Well he was going t show Voldemort and those death eaters that attacking innocent children would not be allowed. He got on the train with the other students watching as the prefects handed out flyers to all the students. They were portkeys to the school and once the attack began they would be taken to safety.

"Ready for a new school year?" Tonks, who had shifted to look like Hermione said by Harry's side.

"As much as I can be." Harry said, "I want to show that monster who is in charge and it is not him."

"He will think there is a spy still in his ranks." Ron said thoughtfully.

"Oh I got that taken care of, all guilt will point to MacNair, he should never have tried to harm Luna." Harry said grimly referring to an attack on Luna in Diagon Alley, right outside Fred and George's new shop, they of course had wounded the tall death eater and saved her life but he had got away. "Now he will learn a new level of pain."

"Good, serves him right." Ginny said walking by.

The students settled in for the train ride, the younger ones had no idea what was about to happen while the older ones were on edge. There was less happy talk and chatter and students could not help but notice that Harry was walking the train with the prefects. It was two hours into the train ride that something happened. Harry looked up and on a signal the portkeys were activated and the students were gone. In their place, clad in armor and ready for war were goblins. They looked happy and most were grinning, they did love surprises and this would be a great surprise! Finally they would get honor and hopefully a better standing in the Wizarding world.

"Here they come." Harry said wand out.

"This will be fun." Griphook said, "you still want blonde wizard alive if we find him?"

"Yes, and try to get Grayback alive too, professor Snape has a few potions he wants to try out on him."

"Yes sir." Griphook said, "this will be fun."

Soon the train had slowed and stopped and the death eaters popped in place just outside the train's anti-Apparation wards. On cue the goblins shrieked and screamed just like students and the death eaters strode onto the train ready for battle and battle is exactly what they got. They tried to get off the train but outside the train Aurors waited and they were going for the kill. Trapped the death eaters fought back hard but those sent would not leave here alive. The death eaters released their last weapon, Grayback half transformed started in on the goblins but several specially created potion bombs had him out cold on the floor.

Harry was battling Lucius who was not happy to face him but he had to fight back or risk his spot as spy. That and he was not going to get bested by the boy again! Finally though he was taken down and Harry bound him tightly and drug him off the train. Out of the fifty death eaters sent only two remained alive, Grayback now in a cage and in chains and Lucius Malfoy bound tightly and on his way to a private cell in the ministry officially. Unofficially he was going to Hogwarts where he would stay locked up until the end of the war. Harry had found out Voldemort was very close to killing him and though Harry did not like him much he had promised to do all he could to keep their last spy alive.

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Harry was tired after the battle and thought back to his summer training. He could tell no-one about what he had gone through to open up his core, it was a secret between him and the goblins. Not only had he opened up his core but he had absorbed the power from the connection to Voldemort and it was now fully one way. Harry was, mentally speaking far more powerful than Voldemort and indeed most witches and wizards were as Voldemort did not have a full soul anymore. He thought himself clever to create Horcruxes but he was a fool and in time he would learn just how much of one he was. For the time being Harry was going to have fun with a certain werewolf and that was why he was not headed to bed but to the dungeon were the evil creature was.

With him were Severus, who was teaching defense this year, Slughorn was teaching potions and wanted to see a feral evil werewolf up close, Remus Lupin who was teaching History of magic and Alastor Moody who was here to offer security to the school. They were met by Dumbledore and two American werewolf Aurors and one Sirius Black. He saw Harry and grinned hugging Harry as if he had not seen him in weeks. He had however seen him before the train ride, or what there was of it, and Harry knew he had to be worried about him for that.

"Glad to see you alive and well." Sirius said, "want to see the monster?"

"Who Lucy?" Harry asked.

"He is an imbecile not a monster, he would have to have brains to be a monster." Severus said coldly his fear starting to get to him.

"Sir you don't have to come down here." Harry said turning to Severus, "we can deal with him."

"No I want to, I want to face him." Severus said, "it's not like I have not had to face him before."

They came to the dungeon that Grayback was in and heard him growling, swearing and roaring in anger. They walked in and everyone there, Remus and the other werewolves included were glad that there were silver bars all around Grayback. He was standing on a steel mesh floor with silver under him so he could not dig his way out and he was in chains that he could not get out of and he was clad only in rags about his hips. He was at least cleaner than Severus had ever seen him though he was still an animal. He turned and saw Remus and sniffed and grinned at the other werewolves.

"Ah my brothers, you can help me." Grayback said, "get me out of here."

"Go to hell." Evan, a tanned short stocky man with a mop of tawny hair snarled. "You monster you should be put down!"

"Agreed, you took our lives Grayback and we are here to return the favor." Roberts a black man with long braided hair and violet eyes said. "You shoulda never left England, America says hi."

"You are all mine, Remus, you cannot wish to…"

"One more word filth and I will slit your throat myself!" Remus snarled wand out pointed at the evil werewolf, "I am going to enjoy you being studied and torn apart."

It was then Grayback felt real fear, he knew he was dead and he backed from his captors growling in fear and rage. He knew he would never get a chance to fight back and he looked from the three werewolves to the two potions masters and the three pureblood heads of houses and for the first time he felt the fear of his victims and he knew mercy was not coming for him ever.

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_So there is the train ride back to school, Harry went through a very private ceremony with the goblins to open up his core and of course they love to help him out. Oh and yea I rescued Lucius, don't worry Severus has a new servant, I will not let him get away that easily. :) _


	11. Chapter 10: Aftermath

Chapter Ten: Aftermath:

Severus trembled as he knelt before Voldemort in fear and pain. He could not look at the mutilated corpse that had, until a few minutes before been a breathing human being. Now all that was left of MacNair was not much in the chains that bound the corpse. Severus hoped he would not end up like MacNair had, Severus knew he was not a spy but Voldemort thought so. After the raid it had taken a week for Voldemort to call him and he still was extremely angry.

"How could you not have seen this Severus?" Voldemort snarled at Severus.

"I did not know the brat had alliances with the goblins master." Severus replied.

"He does, goblins! How he lowers himself, first mudblood humans, then werewolves and Animagmus and now goblins oh he has fallen far. As for you Severus what will I do with you hmm?"

"M-master?" Severus said trying hard not to show his fear.

"Let's see, hmm oh yes _Crucio_."

Severus felt the curse hit him and by the strength he realized how very angry Voldemort was. He screamed in pain, partly due to the pain he was in partly due to the fact Voldemort loved to hear his victims in pain. Voldemort knew, unlike Bellatrix and the Lestranges how far to push with this curse. He left it off of Severus and let him reorient himself before he put it back on him. He did this four more times and when he was done Severus could barely move.

"I have leave me!" Voldemort said and Severus struggled to his feet to obey him. "If any more spies are found it will be on your head!"

"I am sorry master." Severus said.

"Leave me!"

Severus managed to bow and headed out, only to run into a very angry Rudolphus, he still had a patch where his right eye had been and he blamed Severus in part. Though Severus was weak and in pain he still was a far more powerful wizard than Voldemort. Still he was struck with a curse just before he managed to stun Rudolphus and make his way out and back to Hogwarts.

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Harry came down from the boys dorm after showering after his latest round of exercise. He always was surprised that despite the fact that Ginny was a girl she always beat him showering and getting ready, always. She smirked up at him as he took a seat by her and playfully batted him as he grabbed the book she was reading. Ron came into the room and rolled his eyes but he did not do anything as he really, really did not want to get hexed by his sister.

"Give that back." Ginny said, "you saw into Tommy boy's mind again didn't you?"

"Yea, how do you always know?" Harry grumbled.

"I love you and well it's what I do best, knowing these things about you." Ginny replied, "what was it."

"He killed MacNair, I am glad, he was a er…"

"Perverted sick wanker who liked little boys?" Ginny finished for him.

"Yea that." Harry said, "he tortured professor Snape, watched Lestrange send some sort of curse that got him in the stomach."

"What kind of curse?" Ginny asked.

"Well not sure but it was verbal." Harry said telling her the curse used.

"Damn, damn, damn I am not sure Tommy boy could have helped him but I can." Ginny said getting up.

"Help who?" Ron asked watching his sister head out of the portrait hole with Harry hot after her, "Oi, Harry where are you taking my sister?"

"Um I will be back, going to the hospital wing I think." Harry said.

He ran after Ginny afraid of what she was doing, if Snape was in the hospital wing the last thing he would want is Ginny barging in to "fix" him, if that is what she was going to do. They came on the hospital wing and on cue madam Pomfrey stopped them. Yet when Ginny told her the curse she paled and lead her and Harry to where the injured potions master was. Harry held back in a corner of the room looking on with alarm at the sweating form on the bed convulsing in agony. He was naked but for his underpants and Harry could see a horrible discoloring on his abdomen.

"Do your best, we tried everything else." Poppy said. "This is an ancient curse, I am surprised a wizard even knew it."

"What does it do?" Harry asked.

"It's a rotting curse, created by witches and the only way to stop it is for a witch, a virgin witch to use healing magic of the witches kind." Poppy replied.

"Oh Ginny is very much a virgin, between her brothers and her own morals and my chivalry she is very pure." Harry said.

Normally Severus would have thrown a fit with a female student or any student seeing him this way. Yet he was in too much pain to object as Ginny took out a small vial, rubbed some of the healing balm on his stomach and put her hands over his stomach a glow going into his abdomen. After a few minutes his breathing eased and the discoloration started to leave. He looked up at Ginny his dark eyes unreadable then he tried to sit up but Poppy pushed him back down and Ginny covered him with the bedclothes.

"You enjoy yourself Miss Weasley?" Severus said silkily.

"No sir, I don't like seeing others hurt." Ginny said, "will you be alright sir?"

"Yes, thank you, I expected you to be a virgin but Mr. Potter here? His father was not at his age."

"Well I am not my father sir, not that way, I want to well I know this sounds prudish but I don't care I want to save myself." Harry said looking over at Ginny.

"So like your mother." Severus muttered.

"Thank you sir!" Harry said beaming, "I knew I was like my mother in more than just my eyes!"

Ginny grabbed him and took him from the room before Snape took points and gave detentions. They walked back to the Gryffindor common room and agreed to say nothing about what had happened, they liked living to a nice ripe old age thank you very much.

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_So I had to bring Ginny back in and of course as I like her make sure she had a chance to show how strong she is too. The virgin witches magic was my idea and having Harry tell Severus he was a virgin is going to give Severus some ammo for the future, or not._


	12. Chapter 11: Wormtail Connections

Chapter Eleven: Wormtail Connections:

Severus woke up early the next morning healthy and happy. He got ready for the day and walked from his rooms to head up to the great hall, only to have to duck a curse headed his way. He had his wand out in a flash and found himself facing down Cormac McLaggen, a handsome young man who was in Gryffindor and was very popular. Severus snarled and began to trade curses with the student who was clearly trying to kill him. He saw a stunner hit Cormac and he turned to see Slughorn staring at the student then him in shock.

"Severus what are you doing down here? You should be in the hospital wing!" Slughorn said.

"Why would I be there?" Severus asked.

"Yesterday you spoke with Dumbledore, told him Voldemort wanted you back, that he believed he had made a mistake trying to kill you." Slughorn said.

"I was not there." Severus said, "I went to bed early as I was feeling tired."

"Come with me, let's see just who is in the hospital wing." Slughorn said looking furious. "Come Severus."

Severus followed Slughorn up to the infirmary and into the hospital wing and past a very shocked Poppy. He stormed into the private area of the hospital wing and glared at his double in bed. He cast a few spells over the imposter and with a sudden move ripped the amulet off of him and at once the figure melted down to the fat squat figure of Wormtail. Severus was in a towering rage and he would have killed the rat if not for the fact that Dumbledore came into the room with Poppy behind him.

"Severus what happened?" Dumbledore asked.

"Headmaster did it even cross your mind to check everyone coming into the castle?" Severus asked. "Why did Sirius give you the map if you did not use it!"

"Severus don't you speak to Albus like that!" Poppy said.

"I will speak to him like this because as smart and good and caring he is Albus Dumbledore is too trusting!" Severus snarled, "this is why Gryffindors are not good leaders anymore! Why even Godric would have checked the bloody map if he had one!"

"But I believed it was you Severus!" Dumbledore said looking very sad, "why would I think it was not you?"

"I give up." Severus said, "really I do, I am going to go check into St. Mungos this time I really am."

Slughorn looked up from where he was binding Wormtail into a nice package to head straight back to Azkaban. Severus sat down and sighed, he did owe Dumbledore so much but the man had one great big flaw, he trusted far too much. That was why Voldemort ended up in Hogwarts on the back of a professors head and why he did not question the false Moody. He may have been bright but there were times that Severus thought his smarts were not enough.

"One of your Gryffindors tried to curse me." Severus snapped.

"He was under the Imperious curse." Poppy said, "I managed to get it off of him but I had to tie him down as he tried to kill himself."

"I will give him a months detention with me and take twenty points to make him feel better." Severus said, "cauldron scrubbing and cutting up the slimmest things I can find will put him back in the right frame of mind, that and my sharp tongue as you put it."

"Severus my boy are you mad at me?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes, you are far too trusting!" Severus snapped, "you are making my job that much harder!"

He stormed out and nodded to Moody who was limping in to interrogate Wormtail while Severus went to scold Cormac. He knew how to deal with boys like this and though his words were harsh Cormac took his punishment with considerable grace.

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Severus was impressed that Dumbledore had found a way to redeem himself. Wormtail was curse bound to do as Severus told him. It would only work for a short time before Wormtail broke free but by that time he would have helped in brewing exactly what Severus and Slughorn wanted. What many did not know is that Wormtail was an excellent potions maker and would have ended up getting his potions mastery if he had turned traitor.

Voldemort's plan had been brilliant, have Wormtail sneak into the school and poison Severus, once that was done he would don the medallion and put forth his plan to Dumbledore showing the letter as proof. He even had a backup plan if the poison had not worked but Wormtail still saw Severus as a weakling and he had paid for it. Now the tables were turned Wormtail would brew the very thing that would take down Voldemort's death eaters one by one. What Severus neglected to tell Dumbledore was the fact he was going to test it on Wormtail and send the body back to Voldemort as a gift.

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_Yea so no Severus did not go back to Voldemort, how could he? Wormtail's plan did not work so well this time, and before you say a rat with a silver paw would be noticed, not really, who really looks for rats around their homes or places of work. They are there, trust me they are and they are masters at hiding. The whole "Voldemort being mad at Severus" was an act for the other death eaters and of course they would not dare question Voldemort. _


	13. Chapter 12: Brewing

Chapter 12: Brewing:

Harry was not in a good mood as he heard what had happened, Ginny was even more angry that Wormtail had used her in such a way. They both were seated glumly in Severus's office waiting for him to chew them out for what had happened. He looked up as Severus came into the room concern on his face with Slughorn and Harry wanted to disappear right then and there. He had almost caused Severus to get killed and it was all his fault after all!

"Harry are you alright?" Severus asked.

"No sir, I almost got you killed, I mean he knows I can get into his mind." Harry said glumly.

"Not your fault Harry my boy." Slughorn said sitting down, "he knows how to trick those around him, he tricked me good when he was in school."

"Sounds like something he would do, he got me to use his bloody diary." Ginny said, "very charming, nearly killed me, speaking of killing can I kill Wormtail?"

"No, I have the perfect punishment for him." Severus said a glint in his eyes. "I am having him brew the very thing to take down Voldemort's loyal followers."

"Good." Harry said, "what about defenses against the dark mark in the school."

"Potter I have the dark mark you know what that would do to me?" Severus snapped forgetting for a moment it was gone.

"Severus be nice" Slughorn said to him, "besides Harry already got rid of it."

"Yea I did you know."

"Lucius still has his."

"No he does not, I got rid of it."

"We need Wormtail."

"Not really, let me kill him." Harry said.

Severus would have remarked but two things happened, first his house elf Tibby popped in with a tray with tea, little cakes, sandwiches and chocolate dipped fruits and second Hermione came into the room with an essay. Severus had got tired of her crusade on the house elf issue and had ordered her to write an essay on house elf culture. He had Tibby speak to her, he hoped Hermione would put her efforts more to giving house elves rights to work and bond to a family while being free at the same time. He took the essay and saw she really had taken time to understand house elves and he was actually pleased.

"Good thank you Miss Granger." Severus said, "now you understand house elves do like to work as much as you like books right?"

"Yes sir, I was wrong about that but they still deserve rights, a master or mistress should not have the right to kill or harm them and if they do throw them from their family they should have to help find a new family for them." Hermione said, "but they need uniforms like what Tibby has sir."

"Uniforms not clothes correct?" Severus said knowing how the elves were insulted by clothes.

"Of course sir! House elves are wonderful, we really could, well I did learn much from them." Hermione said, "I changed SPEW, and got a few of your Slytherins to join." Hermione said brightly, "they see their house elves as family and agree with me on protecting them."

"Oh joy." Severus said. "I suppose you wish to have tea with us?"

"Oh I would sir but I promised to meet Ron after I gave you my essay." Hermione said blushing a bit.

"Very well, would not do to keep him waiting." Severus said.

Hermione walked out of the room to meet Ron and Severus sat back. Hermione was right to help get rights to house elves but she had gone about it the wrong way. Now that she understood how house elves worked she could better help them. The fact that some of his Slytherins agreed showed she was now doing the right thing for the little creatures. After all they loved to serve and it made them happy and really they should be protected and kept safe so they could serve in health and happiness.

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Sirius watched as Wormtail brewed with sadistic pleasure. Now in school four boys had become fast friends, James Potter was the planner and was considered the leader outside the group. Sirius was the handsome rogue and co-leader. Remus Lupin came up with lots of the pranks and helped his friends study and Peter? Well there was a reason he was friends with the three other boys, he was not useless or stupid and in fact was a very capable potions maker in his own right. He was very smart too though he could hide his smarts and what with his cubby "baby face" he was always underestimated. That proved fatal for James and Lily Potter and for Sirius for so many years. No-one could believe such a sweet gentle boy could be a cold blooded murderer. It still hurt Sirius badly that he had been betrayed like this.

"Never thought he was smart enough to trick anyone." Severus said coldly by Sirius, "what did you ever see in him?"

"He was funny and a good friend, you know it would have been better if I had made friends with you, you would never have done what he did."

"I got James and Lily killed." Severus said sadly.

"No, that you did not, you risked you life to make sure they were safe, walking into their house, putting your wand down and telling them what you had done? That was very Gryffindor of you." Sirius smirked. "Anyway you are not evil or a bad person, Merlin I am being nice to Severus Snape someone help me!"

Draco had come into the room with Harry right behind him and smirked at the comment. Both teens were very trusted in helping with what needed to be done and in fact after getting over themselves more so than Severus and Sirius had were fast friends now. Draco helped Harry in learning how to fit into high magical society and Harry taught him about the muggle world. They were brining Ron along kicking and screaming at times but he was growing up and starting to see that Slytherins were not all evil.

"So how is the brewing coming along?" Draco said taking out some chocolate sent by his father to share with those here.

"Very well, he hates me though." Severus said, "his threats do get old but he has no choice but to obey."

"He will break through that." Sirius warned him.

"Yes but not until he is done." Severus said, "or a long time after."

"Good, here want some Harry?" Draco said handing some chocolate to Harry, "it's the best."

"Why thank you!" Harry said making sure Wormtail saw him enjoying the chocolate.

"May I have some?" Wormtail asked, "please I am being good!"

"No, you should not have betrayed my parents, brought Riddle back and tried to kill professor Snape!" Harry snapped, "you will be fed but no treats you filthy rat!"

"Harry please…."

"Shut up and brew or you will find I can and will torture you." Harry said coldly. "Or should I just let Sirius have a go, no Ginny, Ginny could teach you a whole new level of pain, she is a witch after all."

Both Sirius and Severus winced at this knowing what a witch could do and it was not pleasant. There were those ultra secret classes witches took that they could not and witches knew spells that a wizard never could hope to do, one involved removing the manhood of a wizard, painfully. They turned back to watching Wormtail brew so glad that Voldemort had been stupid enough to send them such a gift to use as they wished.

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_Wormtail is not stupid, evil yes but not stupid. The fact he was able to brew the potion to bring back Voldemort and continue to even function after he cut off his own hand shows he is powerful in his own right. I see him as the brewer of the Marauders, the one the other boys went to when they needed something brewed. He was always underestimated and that is what caused Harry to lose his parents and for Sirius to end up in Azkaban. One thing he never was, was weak but we can all say he was evil._


	14. Chapter 13: The Dementors Fatal Mistake

Chapter 13: The Dementors Fatal Mistake:

Harry read the gloating letter from Voldemort and snarled crumpling it up and setting it on fire with just a thought. So the Dementors had defected from Azkaban and left the prison wide open and were now joined with Voldemort. Harry was not happy, not happy at all and he knew a certain lord was going to blame him for this mess he was sure of it. He rubbed his eyes and looked up as Severus came into the room and took a seat.

"Voldemort has the Dementors." Harry said coldly.

"Yes I thought he would do something like that." Severus replied, "you can destroy them?"

"Griphook says the metal mages have come up with a way to destroy the Dementors, but that is not my full worries here."

"Lord Azkaban."

"Yes him, he stays out of our affairs and did allow us one of his islands for the prison but I fear he might just be finished with us now." Harry said, "we need that prison even without the Dementors."

"I know, it is the most secure in this part of the world, even more so than Nurmengard and that is saying a lot." Harry sighed.

Azkaban was actually a chain of islands with Azkaban North, the isle that the prison was on the most northerly of them all and the most desolate. It was the size of another island Harry had read about, that of Alcatraz island with a prison that was far bigger. The other islands, all five of them were further south, on level with the lowlands of Scotland. They were from what Harry understood lush islands with a magical village on each and the city of Merlin on the largest island where the lord Azkaban ruled.

Most people would never meet the lord Azkaban, he had a small fiefdom of his own granted to him by king Arthur himself so long ago. For centuries the lords and some ladies had ruled the six isles and indeed the ministry of Great Britain was allowed the most northern of the isles where a vast fortress had been built long ago. It was enlarged and the last remaining Dementor clan was housed here to guard the prison. The knowledge to destroy them was lost over the ages and all one could do was contain them to a prison, hardly the best thing for prisoners as death was a far kinder thing. With Voldemort able to get the Dementors the lord Azkaban was not going to be happy at all.

"I wonder what else could possibly go wrong?" Harry growled.

"Don't tempt fate Potter!" Severus snarled then looked up as Remus came into his office with a very pale Percy Weasley and took a seat, "what did you do Percy?"

"Nothing, I got a letter from Azkaban sir." Percy said.

"Thought he would write me." Harry said and at that moment a coal black owl entered the room, landed on the desk and stuck out his leg at Harry. "Ah yes I was expecting this, than you my dear owl."

Harry read the letter with a thoughtful look, he was to be invited to the city of Merlin Azkaban palace to meet with lord Azkaban himself. The lord wanted to talk about new guards for the prison and since Harry was rumored to be friends with the goblins he wanted to meet with him. Harry walked to the fireplace, threw some floo powder on it and called for Sirius. In a moment Sirius came into the room and Harry handed him the letter, he was his guardian and he would do as Sirius asked, after all he was just a kid!

"So you think I should go?" Harry asked.

"If you don't Harry I will kick your arse!" Sirius said, "this is the lord Azkaban we are talking about.

"I will take that as a yes." Harry said.

"Good, let him know you will be there this weekend." Sirius said, "after all Azkaban prison does need real guards not demons."

"Agreed, Dementors are evil." Severus said. "Though Griphook has told Harry the goblin metal mages have found a way to get rid of them, though sadly they have not found out how to give certain inbreed Blacks brains."

"Shut it grease ball." Sirius snapped.

"If you two don't behave I will call mum!" Percy said.

The men shut up at once and turned on Percy who had a smirk on his face and it was clear he held all the cards right now. Harry grinned and called for tea loving to see his godfather and Severus at a loss for words.

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Harry stood up and brushed the dust off his robes and looked around in awe at where he had landed. He was on a high cliff that looked over a gray and choppy sea to the right of him and to the left were small mountains. He was on a path that led to the stone walls of the city of Merlin. Sirius whistled by him and Harry could not help but grin. He had heard of the lord of Azkaban, who had not? But he never expected to meet him as he was very reclusive and had been for ages. He walked up the cobblestone road to the gates of the city and showed the pass he had been given to the solder clad in green tunic, trousers, black boots and matching belt and large green cloak with hood over his head.

He bowed and spoke to a solder by him and soon enough several solders showed up to lead them to the palace on foot. They stepped through the gate and at Harry felt as if he had stepped back hundreds of years. The buildings were tall and made of whitewashed stone with red tiled roofs, the ground floors had shops more often than not, there was a sidewalk on each side made of concrete and a step down the cobblestone road, complete with gutters. The people were clad in woodland colors, very few bright colors could be seen here and some of the people looked strange, as if they were human but not fully. Harry did not have much time to think on this as they walked to the top of the city and the gray and white stone palace.

"Wow, this looks like it could have come out of Roman times!" Sirius said.

"Yea I saw the models in my histories classes in primary school." Harry replied. "Just hope I am ready for this."

"You are, you will do fine young mage." Came the gruff reply of the cloaked and hooded form of Griphook, "this will be fun."

"A person on my wave length." Sirius said grinning at the small goblin.

"As you wish human. Griphook said.

They came to the palace and walked past the guards up the stone path to the magnificent structure and into the building. They turned right and walked into the magnificent great hall with its carved black marble pillars, large windows that showed both the sea and flying buttresses that helped hold up the Gothic arch of the ceiling making Harry feel as if he were in church. At the head of the room sat a thin man clad in robes of dark purple with a red skull cap that covered all of his head but for his pale face with neatly trimmed beard. Two solders, both men stood on both sides of him while a young female solder was talking with him. She was clad much the same as the men but with a long green skirt instead of trousers. Behind the seated man was a large banner with a Thestral on a red background with black trim, the coat of arms of the lord of Azkaban.

"Welcome Harry Potter, Sirius Black and goblin Griphook." The man said, "I am Marcus Caius Azkaban."

"I am honored to meet you." Harry said bowing.

"As I am." Sirius replied.

"Good as you are aware we have several problems with the defection of the Dementors." Marcus said, "I was wondering, well I can afford to pay of course…"

"You want us to guard the prison." Griphook said, "clever to have Harry Potter come to appeal to us but I am afraid you might not be able to pay what we want, no human ever is."

"I am, what is it you wish?" Marcus said a keen light in his eyes.

"Respect, and protection from purges." Griphook said.

"Granted, I hold no love for others that see creatures such as yourself as nothing more than scum. You are honorable and good and I for one will help." Marcus said, "I too know the prophecy and who is to stand in the way of that?"

"Very well my lord Azkaban, what do you wish for me to do?" Griphook asked.

The next day was spent working out what was needed to do to get the goblins in place around the prison and set at trap for Voldemort when he came for those locked up inside. No longer would goblins be neutral, they had a strong moral code, but instead of staying out of things as they would have in the past they were going to side with the side of freedom and right. After all this was their world too and they had a right to fight for it, the prophecy was the perfect excuse to do so.

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_So yea I know that the whole lord Azkaban thing has been done. But it was always Harry as the lord, I wanted to have someone else in charge of Azkaban that was not Harry. He is still a mysterious man and knows things he seemingly should not. How he does is a mystery and he will stay a bit mysterious as I don't intend on making him a main character, just part of the plot to make Voldemort fail yet again._


	15. Chapter 14: On How to Anger a Dark Lord

Chapter 14: On How to Anger a Dark Lord:

Harry sat at the Gryffindor table eating breakfast reading the _Quibbler_, he smiled as he read about the pathetic attack by Voldemort on Azkaban. The goblins had fully routed the death eaters sent and rumor had it Voldemort might have even been hurt. Harry dished himself more sausages and potatoes and read the quotes from the goblins and the in-depth article on goblin culture. He looked up as Draco came up with the _Daily Prophet_. He did not look happy at all and glared at Harry, Harry of course knew why.

"Your father is alright." Harry said, "he is useful, I did save Crabbe and Goyle Senior as they proved along with your father they really did not like Voldemort."

"Where are they then?" Draco asked.

"I don't know, not the secret keeper, but they are safe and healthy, well your father might not think he is safe, though he is."

"What about my father?" Theodore Nott said walking up eyes flashing.

"I like you Nott, you are not a bad fellow." Harry said, "I will be honest with you, your father is nothing more than a murdering thug who deserves whatever happens to him."

"I suppose now that you have the goblins under your thumb any alleged death eater vaults will be confiscated?" Pansy snapped at him.

"No, there are too many innocent people that could get hurt if that was done." Harry said getting a shocked look from those gathered, "my beef is with the death eaters and Voldemort, not innocent family members who do not wish to take the mark."

Harry had started to skim through the articles in the _Prophet_ and he frowned as he did so, they refused to acknowledge all that the goblins had done! One of the quieter Slytherins stood by Draco quietly watching Harry keenly. For years Blaise Zabini had watched Harry and he had been disappointed in him until these last two school years. Blaise was the silent dark one, born of an Italian Moore he and rich society woman of England with Indian roots he was a handsome boy. Those who did not know him thought him stuck up and aloof but he was smart, and saw things that many did not.

"The goblins wish something from you and it is not gold." Blaise said, "they wish freedom and equality."

"Yes that is true." Harry said, "I take it you did not read the _Quibbler_."

"No need though there are many good things there, anyway if you get a chance." Here Blaise paused then handed something to Harry, "you will know what to do with it."

Harry watched as Blaise walked away along with the Slytherins. He saw the note and realized this was going to be a very long day. He went to his classes and had to deal with students from other houses asking the same questions the Slytherins had. By the end of the day all he wanted to do was go on a very long vacation and forget all of this. However he could not as he was the only one who could destroy Voldemort, he really hated prophecies.

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Voldemort was beyond angry, he was furious. He should have Azkaban and the Dementors should have been terrorizing all of Britain. Yet the Dementors were on the run with goblins gleefully hunting them down and when his vast army had gone to take Azkaban he had run into an army of goblins witches and wizards who had slaughtered his army. He glared at the remainder of his inner circle and fixed on Rabastan, the only one left of the Lestranges. Next to him was Avery, the Carrows, Thomas Nott, Antonin Dolohov, and Roselyn Zabini the infamous Black widow of the British Wizarding world.

"So few of you left." Voldemort said looking over the death eaters, all but Zabini, the resident healer with various wounds from battle, "how is it that the goblins dare defy me?"

"I know not master but I did manage to capture one of them." Rabastan said snapping his fingers and a bound badly beaten goblin was thrown to the floor. "Caught this filthy creature, one of their leaders I think."

"Well, well let's see what he knows." Voldemort said.

"Ah a challenge." Quickrook the goblin said a nasty grin on his face, "torture snake face? How droll you humans are."

"Take him away, see if pain will loosen his tongue!" Voldemort snarled.

Quickrook was taken away and he was not scared, goblins did not show fear in things like torture and death. After all if a goblin lived a good life did they not go to meet their ancestors in the halls of plenty and peace. No he would be immortalized in song for what was done to him and he smiled, the pain and suffering was so going to be worth it, he grinned at the honor of dying by torture. He of course would say nothing and in fact planned on cutting his own tongue out so he did not.

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_Oh yes Harry was smart here, he has just gained some allies with how he has not taken moneys from the innocent. Yes goblins are tough little creatures and this Quickrook will say nothing, not that he will be able to. He is not kidding about cutting his own tongue out to stop from speaking, on and Riddle cannot read into their minds so he will get nothing from this goblin._


	16. Chapter 15: Seven Pieces

Chapter 15: Seven Pieces:

Severus sighed in frustration, he had been in a good mood, that is until he came to the headmaster's office to speak with him. The fact that Slughorn and Harry were there deflated his mood a bit, he knew that bad news was on the way. Well now he wished it were all bad news as the news he got was more irritating than anything. The mutilated corpse of Quickrook had been found and what was chilling was the fact he cut out his own tongue so he could not be forced to speak. Harry had done his best to put the corpse back together before he gave it to the goblins. The second bit of news was what made him sigh as he looked at the destroyed items on the headmaster's desk.

"So more than one Horcrux, that makes since with him." Severus said, "he would have to go above what anyone else did."

"It's my fault." Slughorn said sadly, "we were talking and I thought he just wanted to know hypothetically, I had no idea he had already done one!"

"You are not to blame, at least you did not join him." Severus said turning to the headmaster, "how long did you know about the Horcruxes."

"I did not think he would be foolish to do such a thing, by creating a Horcrux and coming back that way he lost all being status." Dumbledore said, "I thought he would care that he was a being at the least. I thought he was just collecting trophies."

"Very well but when Harry destroyed the diary you knew what you were dealing with!" Severus hissed, "why did you not actively try to find the others and destroy them?"

"I really did believe he was fully gone, I did not think he could have created more." Dumbledore said.

"Really, so it never occurred to you that Riddle as a Slytherin might create more incase one was destroyed?"

"No! One would be bad enough why would any make more? I thought he was smart enough not to do that."

"Clearly he was not, just like you are not smart enough to outwit a Slytherin!" Severus said softly.

Harry stared at Severus in shock, how could he speak to the headmaster so rudely? Sure he had shouted the man himself but to insult his intelligence? That was a low blow and Harry could not believe how disrespectful Severus was. He looked to Slughorn who merely shrugged and then to Dumbledore who was smiling! Severus glowered at him, arms folded while the headmaster serenely took out a lemon drop and popped it into his mouth.

"Severus do try to be nice, I know that is hard for you but do try." Slughorn said. "Now as for these things Tom created, these all of them?"

"Yes, all but one." Harry replied, "I had a bit of him in my head, I know how he thinks, acts and what he will do next. Not really what I wanted to know."

"I know my boy I know." Dumbledore said looking sad.

"So it looks like we have them all but for Nagini and Tommy boy himself." Harry said, "I need to go hunting tonight, the house elf grapevine is alive with rumors of an attack."

"Do be careful." Dumbledore said.

"Yes if you don't come back I will bring you back myself to turn you to potions ingredients, take points form Gryffindor and put you in detention until you graduate!" Severus said.

"I love you too Severus." Harry said.

He walked from the room leaving Severus sputtering and Slughorn chuckling as Harry got the last word in. This was rare but when it happened even Severus was loath to take points, oh he was going to kill that brat for making him soft! After he made sure he got back safe and in one piece of course.

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_And that is a short chapter but the next will have lots of actions._


	17. Chapter 16: Ballroom Blitz

Chapter 16: Ballroom Blitz:

Voldemort was very pleased with the turnout of new recruits and of all the new death eaters he now had in his ranks. He even had managed to get the majority of the werewolves, the remaining survivors of Dementors and quite a few hags, vampires and other foul creatures. He sat on his throne watching as the new recruits came forward, ten of them here to take the lives of the ten muggles he had captured for this reason. In days gone by his death eaters would have gone to battle and killed in battle to become a death eater but now he needed new recruits and in fact he had one or two marked that had yet to kill.

Fortunately for those innocents here they would survive the day, but unfortunately for those wicked creatures here there would be no pardon, no rescue at all. There was a flash and the ten muggles were covered in a protective dome and music came on, a muggle tune that very few here knew. It was called _Ballroom Blitz _by the muggle glam-rock band the Sweet. That was not all, not even close, figures clad in olive green armor, full helmets with masks and dark green fatigues under them came into the room. Four figures walked up the main asle as the music played and no-one fully under stood why this song was picked.

_Oh it's been getting so hard  
Livin' with the things you do to me, aha  
Oh my dreams are getting so strange  
I'd like to tell you everything I see  
Oh, I see a man at the back  
As a matter of fact his eyes are red as the sun  
And a girl in the corner let no one ignore her  
'Cause she thinks she's the passionate one_

The death eaters did not get it, what was going on? Voldemort looked stunned as he was not sure what was going on either. What he was not aware of was the fact that one of those here was Harry Potter himself and he rather liked the tune as it was getting him into ass-kicking mode. He smirked behind his mask as the chorus to the song came on and he counted down on his hand and started the slaughter all the while the music played in the background, getting louder over the screams of the dark army.

_Oh, yeah, it was like lightning, everybody was frightening  
And the music was soothing, and they all started grooving_

_Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah  
And the man at the back said  
Everyone attack and it turned into a ballroom blitz  
And the girl in the corner said  
Boy, I wanna warn ya, it'll turn into a ballroom blitz  
Ballroom blitz, ballroom blitz, ballroom blitz  
Ballroom blitz_

It was really a blitz and Harry was in full battle mode, Ginny happened to be with him and she was as ruthless as he was. Remus had come and he took on the werewolves, none of course were as strong as he and he tore through them while Severus turned to take on Voldemort. Yet the coward that was Voldemort had gotten away with his top death eaters leaving everyone else behind. Blood spurted, bones snapped and body parts went flying. A new recruit hemorrhaged blood out of his mouth only to not have to worry about that anymore as his head was removed and rolled over to Harry who kicked it like a football at the head of a Dementor. Thus distracted the Dementor did not see Ginny come up behind and drive the rune inscribed, basilisk poison dipped sword deep into it.

_I'm reaching out for something  
Touching nothing's all I ever do  
Oh, I softly call you over  
When you appear there's nothing left of you, aha  
Now the man in the back  
Is ready to crack as he raises his hands to the sky  
And the girl in the corner is ev'ryone's mourner  
She could kill you with a wink of her eye_

_Oh yeah, it was electric, so frightfully hectic  
And the band started leaving, 'cause they all stopped breathing_

Finally the battle was over without a single death eater, werewolf or Dementor left and Harry was able to remove his helmet and mask just as Griphook strode in looking around impressed. Ginny removed her mask and kissed Harry. Severus removed his helmet and glared at Harry, he was never going to let Harry decide music for a battle again ever! He looked over the blood and gore soaked floor and back to Harry a scowl on his face. He removed what might have been part of an organ from his armor and throwing it to the floor he glared at Harry who gave him a cheeky grin.

"Harry what the hell was that?" Severus snapped.

"Ballroom Blitz." Harry said, "motivated me in battle, worked well don't you think?"

"We got off too easy." Severus said worried, "he has something planned."

"Yea don't worry about Riddle, the goblins have a trace on him and guess who it is connected to?" Harry said grinning. "Your favorite Gryffindor golden brat!"

"Harry don't you dare get cocky on me!" Remus said sternly removing his helmet and mask last. "You have to focus on the task at hand!"

"Noble werewolf who serves the side of good we goblins will not let Voldemort harm young master Harry." Griphook said, "he is nearly ready to take this to the final step, the death of Voldemort."

"Well I have you guys and Ginny to thank for all of this." Harry said holding up a snake's head, "why Ginny I love this gift of yours!"

"You are welcome love, thought you would like that." Ginny said kissing him again, "I can hardly wait until we are married."

Harry blushed and grinned before he turned to the task of helping out the innocent muggles. He grinned when he saw Severus carrying a young boy maybe six or seven wrapped in blanket. He had buried his head into Severus's shoulder and would not let go of him and Harry knew he had perfect blackmail material, if he lived long enough to tell anyone that is. The others were children too and after he had calmed them down and found out they were orphans from an Orphanage he arranged for them to get adopted and replaced their horrific memories with something much more pleasant.

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

_So as promised a battle scene though it was not a party for Voldemort at all. I do like the song I picked, and had to use it, I mean I would like to think Harry would too and of course Severus was so amused…. Not! Ah well the goblins will not let Harry be hurt as they have so much riding on him. _


	18. Chapter 17: After the Battle is Over

Chapter 17: After the Battle is Over:

Severus was worried and for good reason, Harry was that reason as he could not stop grinning as he finished telling the headmaster of the battle. Of course he left out a lot of the battle stating they had got rid of most of the dark creatures and rescued the children. He instead focused on how Severus had led the children to safety complete with carrying a blond haired blue-eyed little boy out who had curled up in his arms. Severus glared at Harry for all he was worth, horrible brat! Oh and the headmaster was smiling, complete with twinkling eyes, this did not bode well for his reputation.

"Harry now you know why dear Horace allowed Severus to take over for him, such a caring boy." Dumbledore said his eyes twinkling.

"Yes he is very nice, too bad I have to tell the school how wonderful professor Snape is." Harry said smirking, "oh yes that will be such a nice shock."

"Harry if you dare do such a thing I will be forced to chop you up and use you as potions ingredients." Severus said very softly, "I am not a nice person, I am horrible, wicked and vile!"

"Sure Severus, sure." Harry smirked.

"I see, I will take points from Gryffindor if you dare say anything." Severus said softly.

"Fine, fine you win." Harry said. "It was a good battle, Ginny was amazing."

"Your choice of music was not."

"What? I love that song."

"Bodies would have been better or Don't Fear the Reaper...."

"Not enough cowbell." Harry said straight faced (he had seen the American show Saturday Night Live and their skit on the song), "anyway did you know it was dwarves who invented golf? Yea seems like this dwarf named Thorn hacked off the head of an Orc and hit it with a stick getting the first hole in one."

"Harry that is a story not fact, The Lord of the Rings is not history."

"It is when Fred and George teach the class…" Harry smirked.

Severus just glared at the young teen, he was not going to encourage Harry, he knew once he did that Harry would never stop with him. Then again his glares did not work, not that they ever had in the first place. Harry had never been afraid of him, not even when he was a firstie and Severus took pride in turning a firstie to a quivering mass. Call him evil for doing it but those little brats had to learn quickly they were the bottom of the rung and had to listen to those above them. That and his classes were extremely dangerous and he had to act the way he did to keep his class focused. He sighed as he heard Sirius enter the room and went for his wand.

"Harry did I hear right that our dear Fred and George pranked a history class?" Sirius said grinning.

"Well it had to be them, I mean who else would do something like that?" Harry said, "I mean their swamp was genius though they did have to pay Filch to not kill them for where they put it."

"So that is why those two survived seven years." Sirius said thoughtfully, "we, meaning your dad and I survived mostly with the map, they seem almost Slytherin…"

"If they had ended up in my house I would have ended up in St. Mungos!" Severus growled.

"With Gilroy Lockhart!" Sirius said grinning madly.

"Headmaster, Mr. Potter excuse me for a moment, I have an insane inbred Black to kill." Severus said getting up and chasing Sirius out of the room.

"Um should I go after them?" Harry asked.

"Hmm?" Dumbledore said, he had been stroking Fawkes who was preening his hair. "Oh I think Severus will be fine, Sirius really should not rile him up."

Harry nodded and thought back to the battle, most notably the young boy Severus had carried out. He knew the boy was a wizard and he wondered what would happen to him. If he were older and out of school he would not mind caring for the child to make sure he had a good upbringing with someone who wanted him and cared for him.

"Sir what of Theo, the boy Severus saved?" Harry asked, "he is a wizard after all."

"Yes he is, well I know Mrs. Tonks always wished for another child, along with Teddy, they have agreed to adopt him, he has the same talents as Nymphadora, he had unconsciously blocked them, not unusual in muggle raised Metamorphous I am afraid, he is learning how to use his gift even now."

"Brilliant, ah sir I think I should go rescue my godfather now." Harry said, "I will see you later sir."

Harry walked out of the headmaster's office and down the stairs only to stop at the sight before him. Padfoot was seated calmly on the floor with Luna Lovegood by him, in her hands was a strange creature, one Harry had heard about but never seen. It looked like a large rabbit with large ears and had crooked horns just in front of its ears. Severus had be in the middle of forcing Sirius to turn human when Luna showed up with the Jackalope as Harry knew it and Severus had looked at it in awe.

"Is that a Jackalope?" Harry asked.

"Oh yes that is what the Americans call it but really this is the Crumple-Horned Snorkack." Luna said smiling at Harry, "daddy was right they exist of course, she bonded with me, her name is Mel. I have to go, Mel is hungry. See you later professor, Harry Mr. Black."

She walked off humming the British national anthem and once gone Severus went back to forcing Sirius to his human form so he could duel him. Harry sighed and followed them hoping he would have something left of his godfather after Severus was done with him.

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_Just a fun little chapter after the battle. I could not help making the Jackalope (a very real animal that does live high in the mountains) the Crumple-Horned Snorkack as so many people say they do not exist._


	19. Chapter 18: Welcome Home, or Not

Chapter 18: Welcome Home, or Not:

Harry was happy, he was laying very contented across the lap of one Ginny Weasley and she was feeding him fruit. This would have been a great idea had he not been on the grounds after a lovely snowstorm seated on an ice couch Ginny had created with conjured up furs over it. Warming charms kept them warm as they sat on the edge of the lake and this was how Severus found him. He liked to think of himself as a harsh cold man and to most of the students, staff and just about everyone he was. Unless he was around Harry, that brat had got into his heart and how dare he do that?

"Potter should you not be studying something besides Miss Weasley?" Severus asked.

"Ah well yes I have been, every time I get the answer right she feeds me grapes sir." Harry said, "she is brilliant."

"I see, well I was going to let you know about what I just was able to get done." Severus said silkily "but you are too busy are you not?"

"Ah no sir, what have you done?"

"Sent Wormtail back to his master, infected with the potion that will kill any with a dark mark." Severus said calmly. "Wish I could see what is going to happen to them."

"It works right?" Harry asked.

"Of course it does, who did you capture to make sure?" Ginny asked.

"Rudolphus, he had a lot of horrible things to say, I let Sirius work him over for a rather cruel time he had at the bastard's hands years ago." Severus said, "away you should not stay out too long, warming charms can only last so long."

"Yes sir, does that mean you care?" Harry asked smiling at him as he walked away.

"No five points from Gryffindor!"

Harry got up and vanished the furs and ice couch and followed Ginny into the castle. Once there they stole away to a quiet corner to warm up, getting caught by McGonagall who very nearly took her own points. Fully chastised they went back to the common room where Dobby waited to give them warm mugs of Butterbeer to warm them up.

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Voldemort was hoping this dark revel would pick his spirits back up, Wormtail was back and he was going to be the main entertainment. Oh he would not die but he would wish he had and already he was trembling and whimpering in fear. He was such a coward, he had not been tortured as of yet and he was already wincing as if he had been hurt!

"Wormtail do stop you have not been hurt." Voldemort said.

"It's not that master, my arm, hurts." Wormtail said holding up his left arm where the mark was turning black and running down his arm, Voldemort stared wait that was not right. "It burns master!"

"What is this?" Nott hissed his arm burning as well.

"Severus you bastard I will see you pay!" Voldemort snarled, "you and your little brat!"

There was nothing he could do but watch as his death eaters fell one by one and died a rather painful and messy death. He was alone, his followers were all dead but he could and would rebuild, he still had his anchors and he would come back stronger than before. At least this time he had his own body and he would come back stronger than ever before. Unfortunately there were few who wanted to join him and his time was very nearly out.

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_So that is the end of the death eaters, now the question is, how should I have Harry kill Voldemort?_


	20. Chapter 19: Ridiculous Riddle

Chapter 19: Ridiculous Riddle:

Bill new this class was going to be fun, normally he was not the one to teach history but today, well today this tied in with his class very well. Getting to know your enemy helped very much in war and defense and today he was going to add one more nail in the coffin of Voldemort. Harry could have killed him already but where was the fun in that? No taking away his power bit by bit was much more fun, and this blow would force Voldemort to face him. Then the world would see how pathetic and evil this man really was. The class was in the great hall and all the students were there listening to this lesson.

"So today instead of learning spells I have a treat for you." Bill Weasley said smiling, "what do you know of Tom Riddle, aka Voldemort? Yes Mr. Creevy?"

"He is an imposter, pretending to be a pureblood?" Collin replied.

"Correct, five points to Gryffindor, what else?"

"Well it's not evil but he is a Parselmouth." Flora Carrow, cousin of the infamous death eater Carrows now dead said. "Just as certain people are not evil for family names."

"I never said you were." Ron said sulkily, "I said the Carrow death eater twins were evil."

"Alright, Flora is correct, five points to Slytherin, now what else do we know?"

"Um he grew up in a muggle orphanage." Luna said.

"Yes, yes he did." Bill said.

Bill had a lot of help in finding out how Riddle had been raised at that orphanage. He assumed that Riddle had been abused and treated horribly there and that would explain why he became so evil, yet that was not the case, as an orphan in the 1930s he had as it were won the lottery. He was, like all the children well fed and cared for in a orphanage that had good strong funding. Mrs. Cole did like her gin but she did love and care for her children and hired only those who would care for the children as if they were their own. So it was all on Riddle for his evil ways, and really even if he had been abused that was no excuse to become evil.

"So anyone know how he was treated there?" Bill asked.

"He was abused of course, I mean why else would he turn so evil?" Draco said.

"Hmm, that does not excuse him, Thomas Nott was known for his evil but his father was good to him, as were many parents of known death eaters. Now he was not abused but what you need to know is that there is darkness if you will in each of us. We are tainted true with that but we can overcome it, and most do, magical and muggle alike. However there are those who are weak and wish to take the easy way out and hurt and torture all for a fleeting bit of power on this earth. Power is not evil of itself but in the wrong hands well you can see what Voldemort did, yes I said Voldemort" Bill said as his class shuttered, "and I will continue to say it as I must."

"Sir he is powerful and will kill us for you talking to us like this!" Susan Bones said from where she was seated.

"You are so very right." Came a cold voice and many students screamed in terror.

"Do you mind we are trying to have a lesson here!" Harry snapped.

He of course had planned this, the goblins had helped quite a bit, they had been so very help for Harry. Not only had they trained him to be the warrior he was to take on not only the death eaters but Voldemort himself but they had trained many of his friends too. They were tired of being treated as if they were evil and wanted that to end. Wealth was not all they wanted, they too wanted freedom and to not be stigmatized and shoved to the side of magical culture. Now what Harry had planned with the goblins was to get Voldemort here, best way to do that was to let the goblins send a statement that all his gold had been given to Hogwarts. That with the letter he had sent Riddle was sure to get the man here.

"I mean really this is a school, if you are here to learn then do take a seat, we have really good professors." Harry said trying not to smirk, "in fact we were just talking about you!"

"Yes your life history is very interesting, I had no idea you were a half blood." Severus said softly, "that would not be too bad I suppose but your mother was a squib I take it and your father was raped by your mother with love potions?"

"Ah there are children here." Lucius said by Severus, "that last probably was not good to say."

"Well it is true, your mother Tom was a very, very evil woman and you took after her I am afraid." Bill said refusing to show how scared he was of this very powerful evil wizard.

"You know Tom you are mortal now." Harry said, "it's time to give up."

Voldemort snarled and made to move to the boy but found several goblins aiming their bows and arrows at him. He really was alone, none of his death eaters had survived and he saw that Severus and Lucius stood before him well and whole and not with him! He had seen red when he got the letter stating all his Horcruxes were found and he could not make more. He know was trapped and with a jolt as he looked up at Harry he realized that he had walked into Potter's trap! He felt for the first time in his life very real fear and he backed up to leave, only to hear the great doors to the hall close behind him.

"You had such promise Tom." Dumbledore said from where he now stood at the head of the hall, "you could have been great."

"I am great!"

"Yea great at murdering, torturing and raping!" Lucius snarled glaring at Voldemort, and at the smug look he got, "you did rape, even I never stooped so low!"

"No but you gave me an enchanted diary." Ginny said icily at him.

"I said I was sorry Lady Ginny!" Lucius said.

"You tried to feed me to a dragon!" Severus snarled, "that was not nice, mostly for the dragon as I would have given that poor creature indigestion."

"Any human would have." Harry said, "now Tom you going to surrender or do I have to kill you?"

"I am going to kill you!"

"Okay I did try, you lot heard me right?" Harry said to the hall and the students nodded," right then if you could all step to the walls where you will be put under protection, great thank you, now Tom we bow then duel."

"Very well but you will die today!" Voldemort hissed.

"Oh please." Harry said, "I do wish you would take your death seriously."

"Someone call for me?" Sirius called from where he stood.

"Shut it Black!" Severus snapped.

Harry hummed the French national anthem in tribute to the fact that Voldemort had used well French for his name and to be funny. The battle began and it was a very violent, horrible and awesome battle. Dumbledore was in awe at the skill Harry showed and that was saying something as he was so very powerful himself. The goblins just grinned and watched their mage fight off Voldemort man to er thing creature, or whatever Voldemort was.

The battle was awesome and went on for over an hour, spells, weapons, and the like went through the air leaving everyone speechless at the level of power Harry had. Finally though the end had to come and it did, Harry simply took out a muggle revolver and with a smirk shot Voldemort in the gut , he did not deserve an honorable wizard's death by wand or sword, this was the best way to take him out. Voldemort gasped and put a hand to his stomach and held it up looking at the nearly black blood on his hands. This gave Harry the perfect chance to shoot him in the head between the eyes. Voldemort fell slowly to the floor well and truly dead and gone.

"So he is dead?" Someone said.

"Yea he is dead." Draco said walking up and kicking the dead body, "he really was ugly, father why did you serve this thing?"

"Ah he was not always that ugly." Lucius said, "I think I was rather mad, really."

"Why a muggle gun though Potter?" Draco asked.

"Oh well he did not deserve the honor of a death by wand." Harry said, "besides Griphook gave it to me, said I would find a use for it."

"Figures, well all I can say is well done Harry." Severus said looking at the dead body of Voldemort and wondering if he could use him in any potions, or not, no he did not need that kind of evil in any potions he made, "what next for this thing?"

"I say we take this thing outside and let the dragons get rid of him, you know burn him to a crisp." Harry said, "now I am hungry, I would like some treacle tart." At once an elf brought him one and he started in on it, "I love magic, I love elves and I love Ginny Weasley!"

Harry was giddy with his win and he finished off his treacle and walked up to Ginny. There in the great hall, in front of everyone he kissed her nearly causing her to swoon. Cheers went up around the hall and Harry caught Severus's eyes and saw him lift an eyebrow as he grinned at him. He was not pleased when Harry actually hugged him but he allowed it, just this once. After all it was not everyday that one got to see an evil dark lord killed off.

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_Okay I had Harry kill him in such a muggle way, but really it is fitting. I mean he did spend a long time dueling him then to add insult to all he had done with setting this up he shot Voldemort. Really the greatest insult and exactly what Riddle deserved._


End file.
